Women in Mexico City reacted Wednesday to a viral video showing President Claudia Sheinbaum being groped by a man as she walked from the National Palace to the Education Ministry — an encounter that quickly became a national flashpoint for conversations about everyday harassment in Mexico.

The brief clip showed a man approaching the president from behind, wrapping his arm around her and leaning in as she smiled and continued walking.

On Wednesday, Sheinbaum said she had filed a complaint and urged states to review their laws to make it easier for women to report such assaults.

She emphasized that women’s personal space must be respected and that such behavior cannot be tolerated.

At a flower market in Mexico City, 27-year-old vendor Melissa Escutia said the episode showed that not even the country’s highest-ranking woman is free from harassment.

"It’s incredible that men just can’t seem to control themselves," she said. "To simply respect us — I don’t think that’s such a hard thing to do."

Others were more skeptical.

Norma Chavarría Ramírez, a 63-year-old cook at a community kitchen, said she couldn’t understand why the president’s security team had allowed the man to get so close.

She thought the whole event appeared staged, calling it a distraction from other issues.

Nearby, Rosa Rosas, a 52-year-old cleaning worker, said Sheinbaum trusted people too much.

For some, the uproar highlighted how even well-intentioned media coverage can perpetuate harm.

Feminist activist Julia Didriksson criticized outlets — including feminist ones — for replaying the video, saying it contributed to the revictimization of women.

She said the focus should instead be on protecting victims, regardless of who they are, even if that person is the president herself.

The incident has sparked a wider debate about security, trust, and public space in a country where gender-based violence remains pervasive.

While Sheinbaum has vowed not to increase her security detail or change how she interacts with people, many women in the capital said the episode reflects what they face daily — only this time it happened to the most visible woman in Mexico.

AP Video shot by: Claudia Rosel, Martín Silva Rey and Fernanda Pesce