Mexico’s President Sheinbaum Presses Charges After Groping Incident

Mexico’s first female President, Claudia Sheinbaum, has formally pressed charges against a man who sexually harassed her in public, calling the assault a stand for women nationwide.

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The incident occurred on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, when a visibly “drunk” man broke through a crowd in Mexico City’s Zócalo neighborhood to grope and attempt to kiss the President, as captured in viral video footage.

An Assault on All Women

President Sheinbaum announced her decision to pursue legal action the next day. Her motivation was clear: the incident reflected the daily reality of women across Mexico.

“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 stated.

The suspect, identified as Uriel Rivera Martínez, was arrested and is in custody at the Sex Crimes Investigation Unit, with police linking him to the harassment of at least two other women that same day.

The National Crisis of Harassment

The attack on the head of state immediately brought the country’s deep-rooted problem of gender violence to the forefront:

• The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) reported that 70.1% of Mexican women aged 15 and older have experienced at least one form of violence.
• Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada affirmed that the event shows why Sheinbaum’s presidency is “a call to confront misogyny head-on.”

A Call for Legal Reform

In response, President Sheinbaum vowed to leverage her office for national change. She will work with the Secretariat for Women to:

1. Review and ensure harassment is criminalized in all Mexican states.
2. Launch a national campaign to combat harassment and promote respect for women’s personal space.

Despite the security concerns raised by the incident—especially as she, like her predecessor, chooses not to use a formal Presidential Guard—Sheinbaum remains committed to maintaining a close connection with the public.

“We can’t stay far from the people—that would deny who we are,” she maintained.