The subdued and politically divided response within Mexico following the reported sexual assault on President Claudia Sheinbaum highlights the prevalent normalization of gender-based violence in the nation, as per experts’ observations. Sheinbaum disclosed on Thursday that she had filed a criminal complaint against Uriel Rivera Martinez, aged 33, to the Mexico City attorney general a day earlier. A widely circulated video captured the man inappropriately touching and attempting to kiss Sheinbaum as she traversed from the National Palace to the Ministry of Education. In Canada, such an incident would likely be categorized as sexual assault due to the non-consensual physical contact.
Despite garnering international attention, the incident received minimal coverage domestically and was primarily construed as a security lapse on Sheinbaum’s part, allowing an individual to breach her personal space shortly after the high-profile assassination of Carlos Manzo, a well-liked mayor in Michoacán. Amneris Chaparro Martínez, a director and researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico’s Centre for Research and Gender Studies, emphasized how the incident underscored the normalized nature of gender violence in the country and the tendency to downplay its impact.
During a press conference on Thursday morning, Secretary for Women Minerva Citlalli Hernández Mora disclosed over 25,000 ongoing investigations into sexual violence against women. Sheinbaum and Hernández Mora announced plans to introduce a comprehensive strategy on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to enhance the institutional response to such violence nationwide. Sheinbaum stressed the need for a swift and effective complaints system to ensure genuine investigations leading to just consequences.
Reflecting on the incident, Chaparro Martínez highlighted the vulnerability of women, including the country’s president, to public harassment based on gender. She criticized the prevalent excuses made for such behavior, such as attributing it to intoxication, emphasizing that there is no justification for such actions. Reports suggested the individual involved was under the influence at the time.
Estefania Vela Barba, the executive director of Intersecta, a feminist human rights organization in Mexico City, noted how the incident against Sheinbaum underscored the gender-based violence issue, which was further clouded by political polarization in the nation. Social media commentary even speculated whether the incident was staged to divert attention from the aftermath of Manzo’s assassination. Vela Barba expressed disappointment over the skepticism surrounding the incident and stressed the daily reality faced by millions of women.
She applauded Sheinbaum for directly addressing the incident during a press conference, signaling her intent to seek accountability through legal channels. Vela Barba found empowerment in Sheinbaum’s proactive stance in condemning the assault, viewing it as a step towards shedding light on the pervasive issue of gender violence.