It looks more like the trailer for Fifty Shades of Grey than a political campaign video. In Natalia Juarez’s latest promotional video, called “The Strength of a Woman,” the Jalisco political candidate makes no campaign promises. She doesn’t even attack her opponents. Instead, Juarez appears on a bed draped only in a white sheet. She slowly pulls it up to reveal her bare legs and arms. In a close up, she is shown dropping underwear to the floor and turning to stare into the camera.
The 37-year-old candidate for district 11 deputy in Guadalajara used a similar attention-grabbing formula in 2012, when she appeared bare-chested on her campaign poster, covering her breasts with her hand. She was pictured with six other topless women under the slogan: “Dare to build a new nation without prejudice.”
That same year, Juarez, of the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) sparked controversy when she stripped down to her bra to “challenge prejudices” during a television interview. “There are some people who say you strip for other reasons,” the interviewer said. “I do, but not in public,” Juarez replied.
Following the campaign launch, critics took to social media, accusing Juarez of publicity seeking.
“People are more shocked by a candidate that strips than one who commits fraud or is corrupt,” she complained.
Juarez’s campaign has led to extensive press attention but has also impacted her personal life.
“If I go to a party or something, someone says ‘look that’s the woman who get naked.’” Juarez said. “But truthfully, I don’t mind.”
If her campaign is successful, the leftist candidate has promised to promote issues like the legalization of abortion and gay marriage.
Juarez isn`t the only Mexican politician with an unconventional campaign strategy. Party broadcasts in Mexico are often as much about grabbing attention as promoting policies.
Political hopeful Diego Levya shot to fame this year with a commercial in which he sang his name and danced around in long pointy boots. Another candidate, Renato Tronco, launched a bizarre Facebook competition to find an official lookalike to attend official events when he was busy.