Tonight, the PUP's standard bearer for Belize Rural North, Marconi Leal can hardly speak - after he was beaten down on Saturday evening in his home village of Sandhill.  It all started with a few choice insults from a UDP political rival.  That rival is Damion Garbutt - who had once challenged and lost to Leal in a contest for village council chairman.  

Well, on Saturday, at Fa's Supermarket in the village, Garbutt reportedly threw a few words at Leal, who responded the way a public figure never should: with anger and with blows.  After that, Garbutt punched him to the ground, and other men jumped in. Leal had to be taken to the hospital, badly beaten and missing a few teeth.

It's political violence, which is never welcomed - and some are pointing at the incumbent UDP area rep, Edmond Castro - since Damion "Fello" Garbutt is known as one of his generals.  

Now, Castro says he was nowhere around Sandhill when the fight happened, and, he claims, "fello" was only defending himself: 

Edmond Castro

"I probably get the same information and watched the same video that you guys all have whereby my political opponent punched one of my brethren and he retaliated and tried to defend himself. That is the video I saw and that is the information I received."

Jules Vasquez

"Sir, but he didn't only try to defend himself, he beat up Mr. Marconi. He beat him up quite well I am told. Although the video cuts off, I am told that others joined in and they stomped up the man."

Edmond Castro

"I can't talk for others. I watch the same one you watched whereby my opponent slugged Felo and Felo defend himself in whatever method or mode he knows best."

Jules Vasquez

"Would you accept though that Felo had been taunting him. We know that, I am told, Felo had been after him for sometime with a personal insult of a particular nature, referring to an event in his past."

Edmond Castro

"Maybe he can talk about that personal nature and that type of insults that Felo threw at him. But I don't know of it. I would never condone any type of violence. Even when I was about to go up against quote-on-quote powerful Maxwell Samuels, who is now deceased, I never tried to use violence on anyone or towards anyone."

Jules Vasquez

"However you believe that Felo was within his rights to defend himself as you say but he appeared to do a little bit more than defending himself."

Edmond Castro

"Malcom X; you have to defend yourself. If someone comes against you and your family then it is your right, your God given right to protect yourself."

Reporter

"Do you think the People's United Party should be feeling a candidate that would start a physical fight that can't handle being taunted?"

Edmond Castro

"The People's United Party can't choose your behavior, just like the UDP can't choose your behavior as a man. I think the People's United Party have a very good candidate in Mr. Marconi Leal and I think he should continue being the candidate because a part from a little thumping here and there. Give the man a break. Give him a second chance."

Reporter

"But then, if you would tease him, for example and you would taunt him and he throws a hand, if you would say something to upset him, what if he throws a hand at you for example?"

Edmond Castro

"He went worse than that before. He brandished his gun at me before, more than once, at least on two different occasions. But I never did try to have him spend his 90 days. I talked to him I said, my friend don't try that again because you have young kids. And if they call the cops on you they are going with your weapon. Secondly, you have a young daughter. You need to be around to take care of your kids."

Reporter

"Do you think the man is too thinned-skinned?"

Edmond Castro

"He is alright man. The man just got pushed in a direction he couldn't handle. But the man is a good candidate."

Garbutt was detained, but released after police saw the video.  In a major development, Edmond Castro's canefield in Isabella Bank was set on fire this evening.  That's an apparently deliberate act to sabotage his 50 acre field.  The alleged culprit was seen on horseback riding off with a blue rag on his face.  Castro sees it as a deliberate, costly and misdirected act of retaliation for an incident he had no involvement in. He stands to lose a substantial investment as a result.