An unexpected incident occurred in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, stirring up the public. As the country's first female president, Claudia Steinbaum, was on her way to an event at the historic center on November 4th, a passing citizen approached her without her consent, attempting to embrace and kiss her.
Videos circulating on social media show that among the people who stopped the president to take a selfie, one person came from behind, put his hand on Shanebaum's shoulder, and tried to kiss him and touch other parts of his body. The president pulled his hands and pushed them aside. At that moment, the president's bodyguard intervened and dismissed the hooligan.
Following the incident, Steinbaum held a press conference and announced that he had officially filed a complaint. She assessed this situation not only as an act against personal inviolability, but also as an insult to every woman.
"I'm doing this not just for myself, but for all the women in my country. If the president is treated this way, how can other women protect themselves? This situation should not go unanswered," Steinbaum said.
The president then criticized the local newspaper Reforma for distributing videos of the incident. In his opinion, the media should be cautious in covering cases of violence and not turn the victim into a "revictim." The Secretariat for Women's Affairs also issued an official statement, noting that this is not only physical harassment but also another manifestation of disrespect towards women.
A few hours later, the Mexico City Department of Civil Security announced the arrest of a 33-year-old man named Uriel Rivera, who had sexually harassed him. It turned out that he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs that day and is also suspected of harassing two other women in the city.
Claudia Steinbaum is the first female president in Mexican history, having assumed office in October 2024. According to Reuters, this incident has once again brought the issue of violence against women to the forefront.
According to government data, 821 women became victims of hate crimes in Mexico in 2024. As of September 2025, this figure was represented by 501 cases of femicide. Feminist activists, however, argue that this figure does not reflect the real situation and that the figures in state statistics are artificially understated.
At the same time, the incident of harassment against the president raised questions about the effectiveness of his security system. Steinbaum has very few close associates and advisors, and he explained his position by saying, "I want to be among the people, because a leader should not be separated from the people."
According to Claudia Sheinbaum, this should not be just an event, but a new point of demand for respect and privacy in society for Mexican women.
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