A man was arrested Tuesday in Mexico City after he was caught on video groping President Claudia Sheinbaum during a public appearance. The man, reportedly intoxicated, approached Sheinbaum from behind as she was greeting residents, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, attempting to kiss her neck, and then moving his hands toward her chest. Sheinbaum quickly pushed him away as a government aide intervened. State police later confirmed the man had been taken into custody, according to the Guardian.
Despite maintaining her composure at the time, Sheinbaum said Wednesday she would press charges, emphasizing the importance of confronting the kind of harassment “we as women experience in our country,” as reported by the Associated Press. She recalled facing similar mistreatment in her student years, declaring, “No man has the right to violate that space.” Journalist Catalina Ruiz-Navarro noted that the incident underscored the widespread problem of sexual harassment in Mexico, saying, “Even if you’re the president, any man believes he has the right to touch you.”
The episode also raised concerns about Sheinbaum’s security measures, as her protection team was not immediately visible during the encounter. It occurred just days after the mayor of Uruapan was assassinated at close range, marking another instance in a string of political violence that has claimed the lives of at least 10 municipal leaders since Sheinbaum took office in October 2024.
Still, Sheinbaum said she intends to maintain her hands-on approach with the public. On Tuesday, she and her team had chosen to walk from the National Palace to the Education Ministry rather than drive, she explained, adding that the incident “won’t change how I interact with people.”