Man Detained After Grabbing Mexican President’s Breasts, Attempting To Kiss Her

A man has been arrested in Mexico City after he allegedly groped and attempted to kiss the country’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, during a public appearance near the National Palace on Tuesday.

Mobile phone footage circulating online shows President Sheinbaum interacting with a group of supporters when a man suddenly approached her from behind, placed his hands on her body, and attempted to kiss her on the neck. The president quickly moved away as one of her aides intervened.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Sheinbaum confirmed that she has decided to press charges against the assailant, saying her decision goes beyond personal experience.

“My view is, if I don’t file a complaint, what will happen to other Mexican women? If they do this to the president, what will happen to all women in our country?” she said.

The president, who appeared visibly shaken in the video, said the suspect has a history of harassing women and that a line must be drawn to curb such acts.

“I decided to press charges because this is something that I experienced as a woman, but that we as women experience in our country. I have experienced it before, when I wasn’t president, when I was a student,” she added.

Women’s rights groups have condemned the incident, describing it as a reflection of the deeply rooted culture of machismo in Mexican society — where some men still believe they can violate women without consequence. Activists say the attack further highlights Mexico’s persistent struggle with gender-based violence and femicide, which remains a national crisis.

Reports suggest that about 98% of gender-related murders in Mexico go unpunished, despite President Sheinbaum’s earlier pledge to prioritise women’s safety and strengthen accountability for such crimes.

The incident has also reignited public debate about the security of top politicians, particularly those who maintain close contact with the public. Sheinbaum, like her predecessor Andres Manuel López Obrador, has continued her policy of meeting supporters on the streets — an approach that has occasionally raised safety concerns among her team.

However, the president stated that she does not intend to change her hands-on style of leadership, despite the recent assault.

The attack occurred just days after the murder of Carlos Manzo, the mayor of Uruapan in Michoacan State, who was killed during Day of the Dead celebrations. Manzo had previously appealed to Sheinbaum for stronger federal support in combating drug cartels in the region.

The incident comes amid broader security challenges in Mexico, where violence against politicians and public figures has escalated. Over 35 candidates were killed in the lead-up to last year’s general elections, making it one of the bloodiest campaigns in the country’s modern history.

Since assuming office, President Sheinbaum has taken steps to address national security issues, particularly drug trafficking and organized crime, while pledging to advance gender equality and women’s safety.

But for many observers, this latest episode is a sobering reminder of the dangers faced by women — even at the highest levels of power — in a society still grappling with systemic gender violence.