Mexico’s President Files Complaint After Man Attempted to Kiss Her On the Street

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has filed a formal complaint after a man griped her during an impromptu walk near the National Palace, an incident that has reignited debate over the country’s troubling record on women’s safety.

The 63-year-old president was greeting supporters when an apparently intoxicated man placed an arm around her, touched her hip and chest, and attempted to kiss her neck. Sheinbaum pushed his hands away as her staff intervened. The man was later arrested.

Speaking at her morning news conference, Sheinbaum said she chose to press charges to send a clear message about the protection of women. “If this happens to the president, what becomes of all the women in our country?” she said. She added that the incident reflects everyday realities for millions of Mexican women.

Sheinbaum announced that her government will review legislation across Mexico’s 32 states, where sexual harassment is not universally defined as a crime. She urged state authorities to strengthen legal protections and make it easier for victims to report assaults, saying the country needs to hear a “loud and clear no” to violations of women’s personal space.

The attack has also drawn scrutiny over the president’s security arrangements, as her detail was not close by at the time. Still, Sheinbaum dismissed calls to increase distance between herself and the public, insisting she will maintain her approachable style.

Mexico continues to struggle with widespread harassment and gender-based violence, with rights groups warning of a femicide crisis and the UN estimating that seven in ten women have experienced at least one form of sexual harassment.