Mexico’s President Sheinbaum Presses Charges After Man Gropes Her Outside Presidential Palace

A Shocking Attack on the President

What was meant to be a quick five-minute walk on 4 November, turned into a national reckoning on women’s safety when Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum was publicly groped by a man while greeting supporters near the National Palace in Mexico City.

The 63-year-old president — Mexico’s first woman to hold the office — later announced that she had pressed charges against the attacker, calling the incident a reflection of what countless Mexican women endure daily. “If this happens to the president, what’s going to happen to all the women in our country?” she asked at her morning press conference the next day.

The Incident Caught on Camera

The man, reportedly intoxicated, placed his arm around Sheinbaum’s shoulder and touched her hip and chest while attempting to kiss her neck. The president quickly removed his hands before a staff member intervened. The assault was caught on video and widely circulated online, sparking anger and calls for accountability.

Mexico City police later confirmed the man’s arrest.

“I decided to file a complaint because this is something that women experience every day in our country,” Sheinbaum said. “No one should violate our body or our personal space.”

Sheinbaum Pushes for Legal Reform

Following the attack, Sheinbaum announced plans to review Mexico’s sexual harassment laws. She urged all 32 states to classify it as a criminal offense. Currently, not every state in Mexico recognises sexual harassment as a crime.

“It must be punishable by law,” she declared. “We’re going to launch a campaign to make sure women’s safety is not negotiable.”

Sheinbaum has previously said she faced similar harassment as a young girl using public transport. These experiences have shaped her views on gender-based violence.

Broader Questions on Women’s Safety

The attack has reignited debate over Mexico’s deep-rooted machismo culture and its alarming record on violence against women. The United Nations estimates that 10 women are murdered every day in Mexico, and around 70% of women aged 15 and older have experienced sexual harassment at least once.

Activists argue that Sheinbaum’s experience mirrors the daily reality for millions of Mexican women, from students to commuters. “It happens regularly, it happens on public transportation,” said Andrea González, a bank employee in Mexico City. “You can’t walk around free in the street,” another said.

Refusing to Step Back

Despite the assault — and public criticism of her security detail — Sheinbaum said she has no plans to increase her personal security or distance herself from the public.

“We can’t isolate ourselves,” she said. “We must continue walking with the people.”

Her decision to press charges has been widely seen as a symbolic stand for women across Mexico, pushing the conversation on harassment and accountability into the country’s highest office.

As Sheinbaum put it plainly: “If even the president isn’t safe in public, what chance do ordinary women have?”

“If I don’t press charges, what message does that send to all Mexican women?”

Watch the video here:

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The man who groped Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum is in police custody. The incident is reigniting a national and global conversation about harassment.

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