Mexico: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Assaulted at Veracruz Rally

While attending a rally for the leftist Morena political party in Veracruz on Thursday, Mexican politician Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was assaulted by two women in the crowd.

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The two-time presidential candidate had traveled to support his mayoral candidate, Isabel Carrasco. While Lopez Obrador was moving toward his vehicle at the close of the event, an onslaught of eggs came soaring through the air, one finding its mark on the politician's head. He was quickly surrounded by his supporters and escorted to safety. Meanwhile, his attackers ducked into a nearby church to avoid police.

Police authorities opened an investigation and have identified one of the two offenders as Beatriz Ramos, a member of the National Confederation of Peasants and an Institutional Revolutionary Party, PRI, candidate for the mayor of Coscomatepec.

Those present at the event attributed the assault to a lack of security. Lopez Obrador shared in an interview with Jose Cadenas of Radio Formula that he felt it was definitely an act of aggression.

"At the @PRI_Nacional we condemn the aggression against @lopezobrador_ in Huatusco, Veracruz. We are in favor of campaigns free of violence."

Almost immediately, politicians and officials offered their support as well as their sympathies over the unfortunate incident. For his part, Enrique Ochoa Reza, president of the national PRI organization, took to Twitter to publicly denounced the member's action.

Juan Zepeda, a Party of the Democratic Revolution, PRD, candidate, echoed Obrador’s sentiments at the close of his campaign in Naucalpan, denouncing any aggression and reproached the women for their behavior. Opposing organizations such as the PRI and the National Alliance Party, PAN, also condoned the attack.

Despite the attacks, Lopez Obrador still plans to continue his third presidential campaign in next year’s general election in Mexico.