Mexico’s Senate erupted into chaos this week after a heated debate on U.S. military intervention against drug cartels spiraled into a physical fight between lawmakers. The confrontation, which was livestreamed, has since gone viral across social media platforms.
The clash broke out between Alejandro “Alito” Moreno, head of the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), and Gerardo Fernández Noroña, Senate president from the ruling Morena party. Tensions flared immediately after lawmakers sang the national anthem to close Wednesday’s session.
Video footage shows Moreno repeatedly grabbing at Fernández Noroña while demanding to speak, to which the Senate president responded, “Don’t touch me.” As Fernández Noroña attempted to pull away, Moreno escalated the situation by grabbing him again and even slapping him on the neck. The scuffle intensified when an aide to Fernández Noroña stepped in, only to be knocked to the floor by Moreno.
The confrontation didn’t end there. As Fernández Noroña attempted to exit the podium, another lawmaker entered the fray, swinging at the Senate president.
Speaking at a press conference after the incident, Fernández Noroña accused Moreno of provoking him. “He hit me on the arms and said: ‘I’m going to beat the shit out of you, I’m going to kill you,’” he alleged.
Moreno, however, defended his actions on social media, accusing Fernández Noroña of crossing the line. “When Noroña crossed the line, he knew exactly what he was doing. I will always respond head-on, with character and without fear, to defend Mexico and give it the direction it deserves,” Moreno wrote.
The brawl underscores the deep divisions within Mexico’s political establishment over the contentious issue of U.S. involvement in combating drug cartels—an issue that has polarized public opinion and heightened tensions among lawmakers.
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