On November 4, an incident occurred in the historic center of Mexico City involving President Claudia Sheinbaum, when a stranger attempted to hug and kiss her without her consent. This was reported by Reuters.
During her visit to a public event near the presidential palace, Sheinbaum stopped to interact with local residents. At that moment, a man approached her, hugged her shoulders, and tried to kiss her, also touching her chest. Sheinbaum quickly pushed him away and removed his hands, after which a security guard intervened in the incident.
The next day, Sheinbaum made a statement that she had filed a complaint against the man who harassed her. At a press conference, she condemned his actions both as a president and as a woman.
“I decided to go to the police because every woman in our country faces this. If they allow themselves to do this to the president, what happens to other women?” Sheinbaum emphasized.
Additionally, the president criticized the Mexican newspaper Reforma for publishing photographs of the incident. The Secretariat for Women, established in October 2024, issued a statement condemning both the harassment itself and its media coverage.
This agency, which calls for the fight against violence and supports victims, noted that the media should not contribute to the "revictimization" of women who have experienced violence and urged not to publish materials that threaten the safety of women and girls.
On November 5, it became known that the 33-year-old man who harassed the president had been arrested. According to O Globo and El Universal, his name is Uriel Rivera, and at the time of the incident, he was likely under the influence of alcohol or drugs; he is also suspected of harassing two other women in the city.
Claudia Sheinbaum became the first female president of Mexico, and this incident once again drew attention to the issue of violence against women in the country, Reuters notes. Previously, feminist activists criticized Sheinbaum for insufficient measures in the fight against violence. In particular, they pointed to the low effectiveness of prosecuting criminals and investigating cases of femicide—murders motivated by hatred of women.
According to official data, in 2024, there were 821 reported cases of femicide in Mexico, and by September 2025, 501 cases had been recorded. Activists note that the actual numbers may be significantly higher.
The incident with Sheinbaum also raised questions about the president's security level. She often appears in public with minimal security, including in large crowds. Sheinbaum confirmed that she does not intend to change her approaches, emphasizing that officials should be closer to the people.
