The unprecedented sexual harassment suffered by President Claudia Sheinbaum on a public street has highlighted the reality faced by Mexican women daily and raised concerns about her light security detail, which allows for significant physical proximity from citizens.

The incident, captured on video, occurred on Tuesday as the president was walking to a public event near the presidential palace.

While Sheinbaum was greeting supporters on the street, a man approached her from behind, put an arm over her shoulder, touched her hip and chest with his hands, and attempted to kiss her on the neck.

"This person, totally drunk, I don't know if he was on drugs (...). It wasn't until after I saw the videos that I realized what really happened," the president acknowledged on Wednesday.

After he touched her, a presidential guard pulled him away, while she, somewhat confused, even took a photo with her aggressor.

Sheinbaum has filed a legal complaint against the man to defend the integrity of all Mexican women in a country where machismo prevails.

"My reflection is: if I don't file a complaint, what condition does that leave other Mexican women in? If they do this to the president, what will happen to all the women in our country?" she stated.

No Consequences

For Verónica Cruz of the feminist organization Las Libres, "this is the reality for the majority of women. They are living this situation of harassment, of persecution, every day."

"The problem is the symbolism of it happening to the president of the Republic," she told AFP.

This aggressor "is the symbol of men who harass women in the streets, who believe they can touch women's bodies without any reprimand, without any sanction, without any consequences," she added, stressing that most victims feel helpless after the aggression, not knowing how or where to report it, or fearing the shame of being re-victimized.

The president's complaint was filed with the Mexico City prosecutor's office, one of the country's districts that prosecutes sexual harassment as a crime.

Sheinbaum also assured that she will seek to promote laws across all 32 states of Mexico to penalize this type of conduct.

"Close to the People"

In addition to sparking condemnation in political circles and among feminist organizations, who demand an end to decades of abuse, the assault highlighted the risk the president takes by maintaining a policy of great closeness to citizens, who are allowed to approach her at all her public events to hug her, kiss her, and take selfies.

"It is a political contact strategy that does come at the expense of her security," security analyst David Saucedo told AFP.

The perimeter of bodyguards closest to the president "should check that the people approaching the president are not in an inappropriate state, are not armed," he added.

Despite the concern, the president has ruled out reinforcing her security.

"If there is no specific risk against us, we will continue as we have been; we have to be close to the people," she stated.

In Mexico, there is a negative perception of officials who use armored vehicles and bodyguards, considered a symbol of elite arrogance.

However, for former anti-drug prosecutor Samuel González, this incident sends a message to criminals and government adversaries that the head of state is "vulnerable." "It is very worrying," he told AFP.