President Claudia sheinbaum files charges after public assault: a stand for all mexican women

On November 6, 2025, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced she would press criminal charges against a man who assaulted her in public, turning a personal violation into a national call for justice. The incident, captured on video and widely circulated online, shows 33-year-old Uriel Rivera Martínez approaching Sheinbaum from behind and attempting to kiss and grope her as she greeted citizens. The president visibly recoiled, and her security team quickly intervened, leading to the man’s arrest.

Sheinbaum’s decision to file charges is not just about her own experience, it’s a symbolic stand for millions of women across Mexico who face harassment and assault daily.

“If this can happen to the President, what happens to other women in this country?” she said. “I’m filing this complaint not just as a woman, but for all women who endure this.”

Her statement resonated deeply with women’s rights advocates, who have long criticized Mexico’s justice system for failing to prosecute gender-based violence. According to recent reports, 98% of sexual harassment cases in Mexico go unpunished.

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The president emphasized that groping is a criminal offense in Mexico City, though not yet in all states, and pledged to launch a national campaign to combat harassment. Her response has sparked renewed debate about public safety, legal reform, and the normalization of violence against women in Mexican society.

Women’s rights groups have praised Sheinbaum’s courage, noting that her actions could set a precedent for how Mexico addresses public harassment and gender-based crimes. The case against Rivera Martínez is now in the hands of the Attorney General’s Office, and many hope it will lead to broader legal reforms and cultural change.

Sheinbaum’s leadership in this moment reflects a shift in how political figures confront personal violations not with silence, but with action. Her stance sends a clear message: no one, not even the President, is immune to harassment, and no one should remain silent in its face.

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