A disturbing incident occurred recently when a man groped and attempted to kiss Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum while she was interacting with citizens on the streets of Mexico City.
In the viral video, the visibly intoxicated man tries to kiss the president on the neck and embrace her from behind. Sheinbaum pulls away, and a government official quickly intervenes, stepping in between them to diffuse the situation.
In response, Sheinbaum condemned the act, calling it an assault on all women, and confirmed that she would press charges against the man involved. The 63-year-old president also shared that she had faced similar harassment during her younger years, stressing that “no man has the right to violate that space.”
State police have confirmed that the man has been arrested.
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Catalina Ruiz-Navarro, a journalist for the feminist platform Volcánicas, commented on the broader issue, saying, “Even if you’re the president, some men feel entitled to touch you. This is patriarchy in action.”
The incident also raised questions about Sheinbaum’s security, as the lack of visible security personnel during the encounter was noted.
This comes shortly after the assassination of Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez, a popular mayor in Michoacán, who was shot dead during the Day of the Dead celebrations. Manzo Rodríguez had reached out to Sheinbaum for assistance with local criminal groups before his tragic death.
This unsettling incident highlights the security risks faced by public figures in Mexico, while also sparking a wider conversation about gender-based violence and the deep-rooted power imbalances
