María Elena Ríos expressed her discontent upon learning of the release of her aggressor, the businessman and former local deputy Juan Vera Carrizal, known for attacking her with acid in 2019. During an event in Oaxaca, she interrupted the president to denounce the lack of justice in her case.
At one point during the inauguration ceremony of the Mitla-Tehuantepec highway, María Elena Ríos approached President Claudia Sheinbaum to express her concern about the situation of Vera Carrizal. Despite authorities reporting that the aggressor was in the hospital, the victim assured that he was at large and criticized the lack of security at the medical facility.
"Your aggressor is detained, we always show our solidarity with the victims, that is important. Secondly, Secretary Citlalli (Hernández) is in permanent communication with her," Sheinbaum Pardo responded to María Elena Ríos’ complaint. The artist emphasized that, despite official statements, Vera Carrizal was not in the hospital where he was supposed to be interned.
María Elena Ríos also questioned the actions of the Oaxaca government, accusing them of prioritizing political agreements over justice in her case. Accompanied by her sister, she displayed a banner with the phrase "I'm giving up, governor!" to express her surrender to what she considers a lack of justice in her situation.
The crisis was triggered when María Elena Ríos alerted about the freedom of her aggressor and decided to take measures to denounce him, which caused an uproar at the collective event. The artist, a recognized saxophonist, remained firm in her demand for justice and security, reflecting her ongoing struggle to obtain answers and solutions to her violence case.
