Mexico is reeling after a man groped President Claudia Sheinbaum in public, sparking national outrage and solidarity among women.
The incident happened on Tuesday as Sheinbaum walked through a Mexico City crowd, greeting citizens and taking photos.
A man, reportedly drunk, tried to kiss her neck and grab her from behind before she pushed him away.
An aide quickly intervened, and the man was arrested soon after.
Sheinbaum announced she would press charges, calling the act a crime against all Mexican women.
“This is something every woman in our country experiences,” she said during her press briefing on Wednesday.
“If they can do this to the president, what happens to all the other women?” she asked firmly.
Many women saw their own fears reflected in the assault.
“It shows none of us are safe,” said Patricia Reyes, a 20-year-old student in Mexico City.
Feminist activist María Antonieta De la Rosa called the act “humiliating and infuriating.”
She linked it to Mexico’s ongoing crisis of gender violence, where an average of ten women are killed daily.
“Assault is just the beginning of a chain that ends in femicide,” De la Rosa explained.
Lawmakers from across political parties condemned the attack and demanded stronger protections for women
Senator Alejandra Arias said, “If this happens to our president, imagine the silence of thousands who suffer daily.”
Opposition congresswoman Patricia Mercado added, “She lived what millions of women endure in public spaces.”
For everyday women, the assault hit home deeply.
Nurse Alicia Gutiérrez said she often avoids crowded buses after facing harassment herself.
“If they touched the president, what chance do we have?” she asked angrily.
Senator Laura Itzel Castillo said the act must be classified as sexual abuse nationwide
“We must make this a serious crime across Mexico,” she urged.
Sheinbaum later called for tougher national laws on sexual harassment.
She urged state governments to simplify how women report such assaults.
“Women’s personal space must not be violated,” she said powerfully.
She also revealed she had faced harassment at age twelve while riding public transport to school.
The president vowed not to increase her security despite the incident.
She said she would continue walking among citizens to stay connected.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Alejandro Moreno claimed the incident was staged for political distraction.
De la Rosa condemned his remarks, calling them “revictimizing and shameful.”
House cleaner Sofia Landa said the president’s action gave her hope.
“She has the power to seek justice for all women,” Landa said.
Sheinbaum’s message was clear: silence is no longer an option.
“If this can happen to me,” she said, “it can happen to any woman—and that must change.”
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