The lukewarm and politically divided response within Mexico following the alleged sexual assault on Tuesday of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum highlights the normalized prevalence of gender violence in the country, experts say. Sheinbaum disclosed on Thursday that she had filed a criminal complaint against the man, Uriel Rivera Martinez, 33, with Mexico City’s attorney general. A widely circulated video captured the incident showing Martinez groping and attempting to kiss Sheinbaum as she moved from the National Palace to the Ministry of Education.
In Canada, a similar occurrence would likely be treated as a sexual assault due to the unwanted sexual contact involved. Despite making international headlines, the incident received lesser attention domestically, with much of the focus being on the security lapse that allowed Martinez to approach the president just days after the high-profile assassination of Carlos Manzo, a prominent 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 the incident underscored the normalization of gender violence in the country. During a press conference on Thursday, Sheinbaum, along with Minerva Citlalli Hernández Mora, the Secretary for Women, announced plans to enhance the institutional response to violence against women on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Chaparro Martínez expressed concern over the lack of safety for women in public spaces, noting that excuses like intoxication should not justify harassment. Estefania Vela Barba, the executive director of Intersecta, a feminist human rights organization in Mexico City, highlighted how the incident against Sheinbaum was overshadowed by political polarization and speculation on social media. Despite this, Vela Barba commended Sheinbaum for addressing the incident directly and seeking accountability through the justice system, emphasizing the importance of shedding light on such issues.