Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has taken a firm legal stand against gender-based violence by filing a formal criminal complaint against Uriel Rivera MartÃnez, a 33-year-old man who harassed and inappropriately touched her during a public walk in Mexico City.
The incident occurred on November 4, 2025, as the President was walking from the National Palace to the Ministry of Education. Viral video footage captured the suspect, who appeared heavily intoxicated, approaching Sheinbaum from behind, grabbing her, and attempting to kiss her before her staff and security intervened.
Rivera MartÃnez, who is also accused of harassing other women that same day, was arrested shortly after and remains in the custody of the city’s sex crimes division.
President Sheinbaum addressed the assault during a press conference, stating that her decision to pursue charges was rooted in her responsibility as a leader and a woman. “If the President does not report this, what hope is there for the young women of our country?” she remarked, emphasizing that no man has the right to violate a woman’s personal space.
The suspect faces charges of sexual harassment, which carries a potential prison sentence of one to three years in Mexico City. The President also used the platform to call for a nationwide standardization of harassment laws, noting that such conduct is still not classified as a criminal offense in many of Mexico’s 32 states.
Despite the incident – which occurred just days after the high-profile assassination of the Mayor of Uruapan – Sheinbaum has refused to increase her “minimalist” security detail. She maintains that staying close to the people is a core tenet of her administration.
In the wake of the attack, she has launched a new national campaign against gender-based violence, set to feature educational initiatives in schools and a permanent working group to ensure sexual assault complaints are handled with greater urgency by the judiciary.
