Teachers in the state of Chiapas in Mexico had blocked Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador from entering a venue for his televised press conference.

Mexican newspapers reported that the latest protest was related to the most recent teaching reforms in Mexico. According to a Reuters report, the protest blocking Lopez Obrador from holding his press conference on Friday lasted two hours.

Instead, the Mexican president did a video message from inside his vehicle, noting that the protesters were refusing him to pass to pressure him into answering their demands.

Lopez Obrador said he cannot allow this because he cannot be held hostage by anyone, DW reported. But he noted that the protesters have a right to protest, and he will respect that. The Mexican president said they would be offering the protesters a dialogue.

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Protests Blocking Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador

Protesting teachers in Mexico had demanded to speak to the president regarding employment issues, such as remuneration, working conditions, and recruitment.

They also rejected the government's claim that the protested 2013 education reform had been fully removed, Mexico News Daily reported.

Students, healthcare workers, and family members of victims of crime were also among the group of protesters that had blocked the president's vehicle.

One protester, Adriana Gomez Martinez, said they are protesting because they want their cases to be resolved. She noted that they are the mothers of victims of femicide.

Gomez Martinez said she believes the Mexican president is doing the wrong thing by staying in his car as he should be attending to them.

The protester noted that Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador should know their requests, adding that that was the reason why they are in the area. Lopez Obrador noted that the incident was an example of his non-violence policy and avoiding the use of force.

The Mexican president said that this is what leaders like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, and Mahatma Gandhi did, ABC News reported. However, he also admitted that the union leadership in some states in Mexico had gone out of control. The Mexican president said he cannot surrender to any special interest group.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had instructed police, soldiers, and the National Guard to avoid confrontations whenever possible. The same instruction has also given drug cartels, vigilantes, and other groups more freedom to reign in some areas they want to become turfs.

Protests in Mexico Turned Violent

In March, women, who were demonstrating in light of International Women's Day, have clashed with the police at the National Palace in Mexico. The Guardian reported that the officers had fired pepper spray after the protesters had tried to breach a metal wall. 

Lopez Obrador's spokesperson said the president had installed the metal barricade and dubbed it a "peace wall." It was installed before the protests as he wanted to protect government property from vandalism.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had a tense relationship with the feminist movement. He was accused of being manipulated by conservative opponents and influenced by foreign ideas.

One protester at the time, Vania Palacios, said they wanted the president to protect women the same way he's protecting the buildings.

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Written by: Mary Webber

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