The lukewarm and divided response within Mexico to the alleged sexual assault on President Claudia Sheinbaum highlights the normalization of gender violence in the country, experts say. Sheinbaum revealed on Thursday that she had filed a criminal complaint against the man, identified as Uriel Rivera Martinez, 33. A widely shared video captured the man groping and attempting to kiss Sheinbaum as she moved between the National Palace and the Ministry of Education. In contrast, in Canada, such an incident would likely be treated as sexual assault due to the unwelcome sexual touching involved.
Despite garnering international attention, the incident received limited coverage domestically. It was largely portrayed as a security lapse on Sheinbaum’s part, allowing a man to approach the president shortly after the high-profile assassination of Carlos Manzo, a well-known mayor in Michoacán. Amneris Chaparro Martínez, a director and researcher at the Centre for Research and Gender Studies at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, emphasized how gender violence is normalized in the country, even when high-profile figures like the president are targeted.
During a press conference on Thursday morning, Minerva Citlalli Hernández Mora, the Secretary for Women, disclosed that there were more than 25,000 ongoing investigations into sexual violence against women. Sheinbaum and Hernández Mora announced plans to launch an initiative on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to enhance the institutional response to such violence nationwide.
Chaparro Martínez expressed her concern upon seeing the video, highlighting the vulnerability of women, even at the highest levels of power. She criticized the excuses made for the perpetrator, including claims of intoxication during the incident. Estefanía Vela Barba, the executive director of Intersecta, a feminist human rights organization in Mexico City, pointed out how the incident against Sheinbaum was clouded by political polarization, with some social media commentary suggesting it was staged to divert attention from other crises.
Vela Barba commended Sheinbaum for directly addressing the incident and seeking accountability through the justice system. She emphasized the importance of the president acknowledging the issue, providing a beacon of hope for addressing gender violence in the country.