A former local leader who has been backing Mexico at the 2026 World Cup has responded after social media users became fixated on her appearance in fan videos.
Sandra Cuevas, the former mayor of Mexico City’s Cuauhtémoc borough, has been a visible presence at matches and fan gatherings during the tournament, which is being held across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Mexico opened the competition with a 2-0 win over South Africa on June 11 and followed it up with a 1-0 victory over South Korea on June 19, results that sent the co-hosts through to the round of 32 as Group A winners.
While Cuevas has been sharing her excitement from stadiums and fan zones, much of the reaction online has centered less on the football and more on her outfit choices in several viral clips.
Her first widely discussed appearance came at a fan celebration near the Ángel de la Independencia, where she wore a low-cut Mexico jersey. Some social media users praised her look, while others argued it was unsuitable given her public profile.
“So revealing!”
“tacky”
Others, however, were far more positive, with some football fans likening Cuevas to “La Chiquitibum,” the nickname associated with model Mar Castro, who became a well-known figure during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
The 40-year-old has made clear that she does not see the comparisons or comments as insulting. Instead, she said she views them positively.
“The Chiquitibum… well, guys, what can I do, I can’t just take them off,” she wrote.
“They had already nicknamed me that in 1986 and it amuses me, I like it,” she added. “I don’t take it as an attack, there will be those who think that way and take it in a derogatory way, but that’s how we Mexicans are,” she said on Ernesto Buitrón’s YouTube channel.
Since then, Cuevas has continued posting clips of herself celebrating Mexico’s progress, with many supporters filling the comments with encouragement.
On June 19, following Mexico’s victory over South Korea, she uploaded another video showing herself in the front row of a fan zone surrounded by cheering crowds.
In the caption, she penned:
“Here in the front row to celebrate the triumph of the Mexican national team, with the neighborhood, with the people, enjoying life and our #México so beautiful! World Cup 2026! #SandraCuevasMX
Supportive reactions quickly followed.
“This is what it means to be beloved and live among the people,” one penned on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Another said: “We need more politicians like this.”
Cuevas served as mayor of Cuauhtémoc from October 2021 until March 2024. She remains active in politics and currently works as the Mexico City coordinator for the Mexico Nuevo political movement.
The group is currently trying to secure official party registration with the National Electoral Institute, or INE, as part of the 2025-2026 process for new national political parties.