Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico, faces renewed scrutiny over her security protocols following an unsettling incident during a public engagement. Through these conversations with citizens out on the streets, Sheinbaum met a very drunk man. He tried to kiss her on the neck and hugged her from behind. This event should cause Sheinbaum to reconsider the security overkill. These measures have been recently found to be more effective than those of her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
As president, López Obrador won acclaim for his accessibility, wandering through crowds and keeping a light security detail. Sheinbaum has fully adopted this philosophy, sometimes favoring direct outreach to the public. The recent meeting has sparked concerns over the safety of all public officials in a time of heightened political violence.
A security camera video of the incident shows the moment when the attacker lunged at Sheinbaum. Furious, she slammed his hands away and spun to confront him. A government representative jumped in and put himself between the attacker and Sheinbaum, securing her short-term safety. Even with the break-in, Sheinbaum was cool under fire, smiling tightly as she calmed nervous spectators with the promise of “Don’t worry.”
The incident is by no means isolated, within the wider context of the disturbing rise of violence against political figures in Mexico. And as she campaigned throughout Chiapas last year, Sheinbaum herself endured her own security scare. Masked men blocked her car and ordered her to take direct action against the rising violence in the state. Resolved, to their credit, not to allow her to face the gavel again.
The broader, underlying context of political violence and state capture in Mexico cannot be ignored. Omar García Harfuch, Sheinbaum’s security minister, who survived an assassination attempt in 2020. Though gunmen with the Jalisco cartel ambushed his convoy inside Mexico City, he was able to survive that assassination attempt. Since Sheinbaum began her term on October 1, at least 10 municipal presidents have been murdered. As the country hurtles towards the June 2024 community elections, 37 candidates have been killed in the run-up to the polls.
Commentators have started to weigh in on the possible implications of Sheinbaum’s experience. Alejandra Escobar, editorial director of Etcétera, emphasized the importance of addressing such violations of personal space:
“Hopefully [the presidency will press charges], and the president will send a clear message: no man has the right to kiss or touch a woman without her consent.”
Journalist Catalina Ruiz-Navarro highlighted the societal issues surrounding such behavior:
“Even if you’re the president, any guy believes he has the right to touch you.”