Mexico's President Reports Assault While Meeting Public
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Wednesday that she had filed a criminal complaint against a man who groped and attempted to kiss her during a public greeting. The incident, which was caught on video, went viral the day before.
Details of the Incident
Sheinbaum, Mexico's first female president, described the event as a crime and shared that, like many women in Mexico, she has faced similar situations before. She said,
“If this happens to the president, what will happen to all the young women in our country?”
She also noted that the man was heavily intoxicated.
The footage, showing a middle-aged man putting his arm around Sheinbaum, touching her chest, and trying to kiss her, spread rapidly online but was later removed by some accounts. The video highlights the ongoing security challenges women face in a country marked by machismo and gender-based violence.
Security and Public Interaction
Questions arose concerning the president's security detail. Like her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Sheinbaum travels with minimal security and actively engages with the public, often entering crowds.
Despite the incident, Sheinbaum stated she has no plans to change this approach, emphasizing,
“We have to be close to the people.”
Context of the Encounter
The assault took place while Sheinbaum walked a short distance from Mexico’s National Palace to the Ministry of Education. After the man touched her inappropriately, she moved his hands away before a staff member intervened.
Author's Summary
President Sheinbaum’s experience of public harassment highlights the persistent risks women face in Mexico and her commitment to maintaining close ties with citizens despite security concerns.