A meeting of the Mexican Senate descended into violence Wednesday, after one of its members apparently became enraged at not getting a chance to speak.
The scuffle broke out between two high-ranking senators toward the end of a session that had included a heated debate on the possibility of US military intervention in the country.
As the national anthem was playing, the aggrieved senator, Alejandro Moreno – president of the opposition party PRI – stepped up to the podium and grabbed the arm of Senate President Gerardo Fernández Noroña, of the ruling Morena party, and a shoving match ensued.
Others nearby then stepped in. A live broadcast of the exchange shows one man in a suit appearing to take a swing at Noroña, while Moreno pushes a different man in a green shirt to the ground.
Noroña later identified the man in the green shirt as a member of his team. The man appeared alongside Noroña at a press conference, wearing a neck brace and bandages around his arm.
Moreno said on social media that he had confronted Noroña because the ruling party had changed the agenda of the session to prevent the opposition from speaking out.
“That cowardice provoked what followed. Let it be clear: the first physical aggression came from Noroña,” he said, claiming the Senate president started the altercation by shoving him.
For his part, Noroña insisted the opposition senators were to blame. “They ganged up on me. They will say that this is freedom of expression,” he said.
He said that during the session they had debated topics including US military intervention, which he had accused opposition parties of supporting.
He also said he intended to file a complaint against Moreno, claiming Moreno had threatened to kill him. He also said he would seek the expulsion of Moreno and other opposition members involved in the altercation.
CNN has reached out to Moreno for comment.
Violence in Mexico’s Congress is rare but not unheard of.
In 2006, a brawl erupted between lawmakers ahead of the inauguration of President Felipe Calderon after a disputed election.
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