Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum To Press Charges Against Drunk Man Who Groped Her In Public

Last Updated:November 06, 2025, 20:04 IST

A drunken man broke through a crowd greeting Sheinbaum on Tuesday, putting his arm around her shoulder and touching her hip and chest, while attempting to kiss her.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. (Reuters/File)

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is pressing charges against a man who allegedly harassed her in an intoxicated state on Tuesday, calling it an “assault on all women". The man was arrested overnight and is in custody of the Sex Crimes Investigation Unit, as per officials.

The incident took place when the drunken suspect broke through a crowd of people greeting Sheinbaum in Mexico City and appeared to grope her, CNN reported, citing a viral clip. He put his arm around her shoulder, and with the other hand touched her hip and chest, while attempting to kiss her neck.

Sheinbaum appeared confused by the incident and even agreed to take a picture with him. “This person approached, completely intoxicated…it wasn’t until I saw the videos later that I realised what had really happened," Sheinbaum said on Wednesday.

Juan José Ramírez Mendoza, one of Sheinbaum’s top aides, intervened to stop the man. The incident sparked widespread outrage online and fuelled a debate over harassment and the safety of women in public life.

Sheinbaum Calls For Tougher Laws

The President’s office confirmed that the individual has been charged with “harassment", a category that bans ewd behaviour, groping, and disrespectful behaviour. The incident put the spotlight on Mexico’s troubling record on women’s safety.

Sheinbaum, Mexico’s first female president, announced that she was motivated to take legal action against the man, describing him as “completely drunk", and she would also review nationwide legislation on sexual harassment.

“I decided to press charges because this is something I experienced as a woman — something all women in our country experience. No man has the right to violate that space," she said, adding that it was not the first time she had experienced harassment in public.

“My thinking is: if I don’t file a complaint, what becomes of other Mexican women? If this happens to the president, what will happen to all the women in our country?"

The Secretariat for Women, which is part of Sheinbaum’s administration, condemned the incident on Tuesday, saying proximity to the public “cannot be used as an excuse to invade someone’s personal space or make physical contact without consent."

Sexual Harassment In Mexico

The incident underscored concerns over the safety of women in public life. Notably, the Electoral Institute (INE) has recorded 516 cases of violence against women in political positions from September 2020 to July 2025, according to CNN.

Furthermore, Mexico’s Institute of Statistics and Geography’s (INEGI) 2021 national survey, 70.1% of Mexican women aged 15 and older have experienced at least one form of violence, with 49.1% of those women reporting sexual violence.

The attack also drew criticism of Sheinbaum’s security detail and of her insistence on maintaining a degree of intimacy with the public, despite Mexican politicians regularly being a target for cartel violence. It came days after the brutal assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo during a public event.

(with AFP inputs)

News world Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum To Press Charges Against Drunk Man Who Groped Her In Public

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