Mexico's President Sheinbaum Calls for Tougher Sexual Harassment Laws After Attack
President Claudia Sheinbaum was assaulted on Tuesday while greeting supporters near the presidential palace in Mexico City. A drunken man approached her, put his arm around her, and touched her inappropriately as he tried to kiss her neck before being restrained by security.
The 63-year-old leader, Mexico’s first woman president, initially appeared unaware of what had happened. The event, captured on camera, quickly spread across media, drawing renewed attention to the country's persistent issues of violence and harassment against women.
"This person approached, completely intoxicated (...) it wasn't until I saw the videos later that I realized what had really happened," Sheinbaum said on Wednesday.
In response, President Sheinbaum urged lawmakers to strengthen laws nationwide, calling for sexual harassment to be recognized as a criminal offense across all Mexican states. The man involved was arrested and charged with harassment, already a crime in the capital and roughly 20 states, according to the president’s office.
Author's Summary
After being attacked in public, President Claudia Sheinbaum urged Mexico to criminalize sexual harassment nationwide, emphasizing the urgent need to protect women’s safety.