«If This Happens to the President…» Sheinbaum Files Complaint for Harassment and Calls for Protection of All Women

Original article: “Si esto le hacen a la Presidenta…”: Sheinbaum presenta denuncia por acoso y llama a proteger a todas las mujeres

Following a harassment incident that occurred on Tuesday, November 4, in broad daylight, the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, has filed a formal complaint against her aggressor with the Attorney General’s Office.

The President was walking in the Historic Center of Mexico City (CDMX) when an individual invaded her personal space.

“My reflection is: if I don’t file a complaint, in addition to the fact that it is a crime (punishable under the law in Mexico City), what does that mean for all Mexican women? If this happens to the President, what will happen to all the young women in our country?” She affirmed during the morning program «La mañanera del pueblo» broadcast on Wednesday.

During the customary daily press conference, Sheinbaum recounted that the harassment occurred while she was walking to the headquarters of the Ministry of Public Education (SEP) to lead the National Meeting of Universities and Higher Education Institutions for the Transformation of Mexico, a short journey she decided to make on foot for practicality. However, she was approached by a visibly intoxicated man.

“We left by car and were supposed to arrive 20 minutes later, but my aides suggested, ‘If you want, we can walk to the SEP; it’s only five minutes.’ So we decided to walk. Many people greeted us along the way without issue until this completely drunk individual approached and I experienced this episode of harassment,” she noted.

“At the moment, I was actually speaking with other people; I didn’t immediately realize. Juan José, who coordinates the entire aide team, intervened, and only after watching the videos did I understand what really happened,” she recounted, as reported by the newspaper La Jornada.

“I definitely felt the proximity of this individual. He was, I repeat, completely intoxicated; I’m not sure if he was under the influence of drugs,” she emphasized.

Regarding the incident, the President stated that she filed the appropriate complaint because “this is something I experienced as a woman, but we live this as women in our country. I have experienced it before, when I was not president, as a student, as a young person. It is a crime in Mexico City; it’s not classified as a criminal offense in all states of the republic.”

“I experienced harassment at the age of 12 on public transport,” she recalled, while simultaneously calling to “ensure that women occupy decision-making spaces; let’s make harassment visible and put an end to it.”

She asserted that she pursued legal action to set an example with the conviction that no act of this kind against women should go unpunished, noting that the individual continued to harass other women after the incident involving her.

“It turns out this person continued to harass other women right there on that street. So, he is detained,” Sheinbaum stated.

“This should not occur in this country, and I’m not saying this as president, but as a woman representing Mexican women. No one can invade our personal space, nobody!” she added.

In this context, she instructed the Secretary for Women, Citlalli Hernández, to investigate in which states of Mexico this act is categorized as a criminal offense, and to organize a campaign against this crime, as “there must be respect for women in all senses.”

Sheinbaum Accuses Media Revictimization After Newspaper Published Photos of Harassment

During the morning press conference, the President of Mexico characterized the publication of photographs by the newspaper Reforma, related to the harassment episode she experienced, as “completely unethical.”

“El Reforma published photographs of the harassment; it revictimized me. I felt vulnerable. This should not happen, especially coming from a media outlet,” she stated.

She argued that these images contribute to media revictimization and reinforce stigmas against women who report incidents, discouraging others from speaking out. Therefore, she demanded a public apology, not just for herself but for all Mexican women.

“This is a form of revictimization, and there is already the Olimpia Law regarding the use of images (…). This crosses all boundaries; I expect at least an apology, not for me, but out of respect for Mexican women,” she declared.

“I’m not asking for apologies for myself but for the Mexican women who face this every day,” Sheinbaum emphasized.

“Beyond the political issues and my disagreement with the fact that Reforma has become a right-wing newspaper, without news but pure propaganda, beyond that, publishing the photograph crosses all boundaries; it’s a matter of human decency; it is outside all ethics and morality,” she elaborated.

You can watch the full press conference of the Mexican president below: