President Claudia Sheinbaum filed a complaint against Uriel Rivera Martínez, who sexually harassed her on November 4 in Mexico City's Historic Center. The incident, captured on video, drew condemnations from activists, the UN, and officials, underscoring the need for uniform laws against gender violence. Sheinbaum stressed that such aggressions affect all women in the country.
On November 4, 2025, as Claudia Sheinbaum walked from Palacio Nacional to the Secretariat of Public Education in Mexico City's Historic Center, a man identified as Uriel Rivera Martínez, 33 years old and apparently intoxicated, approached from behind. He tried to kiss her neck, hug her, and touch her chest without consent, according to viralized videos. The president did not notice immediately, but her aide coordinator, Juan José, intervened to move him away. Hours later, Rivera Martínez was detained on Paseo de La Condesa and remitted to the Sexual Crimes Investigation Prosecutor's Office in the Cuauhtémoc borough.
Ciudad de México's Public Security Secretariat revealed that on the same day, Rivera Martínez harassed two other women: he touched a 25-year-old in the Historic Center and assaulted another on Tacuba and Bolívar streets. Sheinbaum filed the complaint on November 5 during her morning press conference, stating: “I filed a complaint because this is something I experienced as a woman, but women in our country experience it. I experienced it before as not being president, when I was a student. Harassment is a crime in Mexico City”.
In CDMX, the Penal Code (Article 179) punishes sexual harassment with 1 to 3 years in prison and fines of 100 to 200 days, with aggravating factors for violence or subordination. Sheinbaum called to review legislation in all 32 states to standardize the crime and announced a campaign against aggressions, in coordination with Secretary Citlalli Hernández. She will not reinforce her personal security unless specific alerts arise.
Activists like Olimpia Coral, creator of the Olimpia Law, emphasized collective outrage regardless of political affiliations: “They harassed her for being a woman, that should outrage us all”. Gracia Alzaga praised Sheinbaum's example in reporting, while Julia Didriksson called for more sensitization campaigns. Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller backed the president, calling the act “reprehensible and very shameful”. The UN expressed solidarity and urged not to minimize violence against women, noting that 15.5% of Mexican women have suffered sexual harassment according to Inegi. Senator Malú Micher demanded deletion of videos to avoid revictimization, invoking the Olimpia Law, and Mexico City Head of Government Clara Brugada promised the full weight of the law.
