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She wants her family to be left out of the scandal by persons who are politicizing the issue to pressure Dr. Marco Tulio to step down. There was one such group of persons today who stood in front of the Town Hall and used the platform of the protection of family values as the premise to demand Dr. Marco Tulio's resignation. Our News team was there to challenge them on the political agenda at play. Daniel Ortiz reports:

Daniel Ortiz reporting
20 residents living in Orange Walk Town stood in front of the offices of the Town Council to picket Mayor Kevin Bernard.

Though there are no criminal charges against Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez, they want the Mayor take a moral stance as the titular leader of the town and demand that Dr. Mendez steps down as Area Representative for Orange Walk East.

But, we detected political undercurrents at play.

Robert Pate - Former Mayor/Protester
"As a parent and a leader in this community, I believe that Tulio Mendez must resign, because the allegation is a serious allegation. The leader of the opposition must tell him to resign now and allow us to have a true elected representative."

Reporter
"But like you said, it's all allegations. It hasn't been substantiated."

Robert Pate - Former Mayor/Protester
"From the time the person who report it along with the two young girls is definitely enough, that he must resign."

Daniel Ortiz
"There may be those who say that you are acting too quickly. You are acting prematurely because there are no charges, you can't even tell if the authorities will take any action. "

Robert Pate - Former Mayor/Protester
"If you look at the case with Arthur Saldivar, it was only an allegation right and they remove him from being a political officer. Why now a serious allegation like this, will not remove from the party. So, we say and ask the leader of the opposition to let him resign now."

Daniel Ortiz
"How do you answer to those who say this is political opportunism, that persons are attacking Tulio to try to remove him from office and this is just a perfect opportunity for you al to do that."

Robert Pate - Former Mayor/Protester
"If its politics, it's within the PUP party, it's not with UDP. We know they have rifts between the PUP and the leader of the opposition right said I know it's a political move, but it's within the PUP, not within the UDP."

Reporter
"It seems a bit hypocritical sir."

Robert Pate - Former Mayor/Protester
"I am doing what I got to do as a leader within this community."

Reporter
"So who are out here?"

Robert Pate - Former Mayor/Protester
"All parents, mothers and fathers."

Daniel Ortiz
"How do you divorce yourself from the suggestion that this is a political move and that you may be acting on behalf of the UDP?"

Robert Pate - Former Mayor/Protester
"I am a UDP and I am not afraid. I think anybody supposed to be proud to be a UDP, with the type of government that we have - the first time that we ever have a government that is working that hard that we are doing at this time. We are doing this as parents and not the political agenda. So, I want the world, the PUP, the UDP know we are here as parents and not as political agenda."

The Mayor was happy to oblige us on the topic, he says that the protesters are misguided, or at the very least, mistaken to try to pressure him, especially because there are no charges yet.

Kevin Bernard - Mayor, Orange Walk Town Council
"First of all this is not Marco Tulio's office. This is the town hall and at the end of the day whatever allegations there are, we don't know if there is concrete evidence to whatever. I think the party has spoken on that matter and I will leave that as that. Its allegations. I can't go by allegations. Yes, I must take charge of this town, I will protect all our children in this community. That is my role as the mayor. However, what it is right now is allegations - far from any evidence that has been brought to court. We don't know the truth behind this whole story is. It could be a political mischief, it could be whatever. I can't answer to something I don't know."

Shortly after our cameras stop taping, the protesters departed the area.