Women protest cases of vicarious violence in Veracruz; demand to review judges

The Mexican government has faced renewed scrutiny over allegations of gender-based violence involving high-profile officials associated with the current administration, known as the "4T" (Cuarta Transformación). President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo recently called for full legal action against Víctor Padilla Rodríguez, the former director of Pemex, who was caught on camera physically abusing his wife, María Felicia Jiménez Lavie, a nuclear engineer, academic, and professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). This case has reignited discussions about the prevalence of such issues within political circles.

Among those under investigation are several prominent figures linked to the ruling party, Morena. One of the most notable cases involves Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo, the former governor of Morelos, who is currently facing a criminal investigation for attempted rape. The alleged victim, Nidia Fabiola Blanco Fernández, his half-sister, claims that after he took office as governor, she was asked to move into the official residence. On December 14, 2023, according to the complaint, Blanco Bravo forcibly entered her room and attempted to sexually abuse her. The incident reportedly ended when the victim began screaming, which led to the perpetrator abandoning the attempt. It is said that the victim did not speak about the incident for months before filing the formal complaint.

Another significant case emerged in June 2025, when the Specialized Chamber of the Federal Electoral Court (TEPJF) ruled that Blanco had committed gender-based political violence against Juanita Guerra, a former Morena deputy. As a result, he was registered in the National Registry of Individuals Sanctioned in Matters of Gender-Based Political Violence (VPMRG) by the National Electoral Institute (INE) for one year and six months. Guerra accused Blanco and his logistics and events director, Arturo Millán, of preventing her access to the main stage during the commemorative parade marking the 211th anniversary of the "Heroic Act of Cuautla, Morelos," in 2023. She claimed this was an effort to make her invisible to the public and her constituents, constituting symbolic and psychological violence.

In addition to these cases, another figure frequently accused of gender-based violence is Gerardo Fernández Noroña, the current senator from Morena. In August 2025, while serving as president of the Senate's Board of Directors, Noroña targeted journalist Azucena Uresti following criticism of her purchase of a home in Tepoztlán, Morelos, valued at 12 million pesos. He posted images of the journalist along with information about the supposed property and its cost on social media. He wrote, "Here is Azucena Uresti at the gym of the Reforma 77 building where she says she does not live in a 13-million-peso apartment. With her accounts and credit, they must have paid 100 million."

Three months later, in November 2025, Uresti accused Noroña of harassment and espionage after reporting on social media that the communicator allegedly bought a BMW car. Uresti described Noroña as an "accumulator of lies" and held him responsible for any consequences resulting from exposing her private life.

On November 25, 2025, Noroña made statements suggesting that Grecia Quiroz, the mayor of Uruapan and widow of Carlos Manzo, was ambitious and seeking the governorship of Michoacán. Following this, the State Electoral Institute of Michoacán (IEEM) issued precautionary measures against Noroña for gender-based political violence toward Quiroz, ordering him to remove videos referencing her from his social media accounts. The IEEM also urged him to refrain from acts of harassment, intimidation, or making publications in the media that would degrade Quiroz’s status as a woman.

However, in February 2026, Noroña again criticized Quiroz, calling her a liar for supposedly claiming that the IEEM had imposed precautionary measures against him to stop him from harassing her. He further denied committing gender-based political violence against the mayor of Uruapan and accused her of trying to silence him for criticizing her alleged political ambitions. He stated that the media were running a campaign against him to remove him from politics, saying, "This is how things are, it's an insidious campaign, a campaign in bad faith, a campaign of defamation, a campaign aimed at silencing me."

These incidents highlight the ongoing challenges related to gender-based violence within political spheres and underscore the need for continued vigilance and accountability. The responses from both victims and perpetrators reflect the complex dynamics surrounding such allegations, emphasizing the importance of legal frameworks and societal awareness in addressing these issues effectively.