A dramatic fight erupted in the Mexican Senate on Wednesday, August 27, when a heated disagreement between lawmakers spiraled into a physical altercation.
The clash, which unfolded in front of cameras, left many stunned as punches, shoves, and angry shouts replaced the usual parliamentary debate.
According to eyewitnesses and live footage, the brawl broke out as the chamber prepared to wrap up its session.
Alejandro “Alito” Moreno, leader of the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), suddenly confronted Senate president Gerardo Fernández Noroña of the ruling Morena party.
Moreno could be heard insisting, “I’m asking you to let me speak,” while grabbing Fernández Noroña by the arm.
The chamber president, visibly angered, quickly replied, “Don’t touch me.” What began as a verbal exchange escalated into pushing, shoving, and Moreno knocking over a photographer in the process.
The fight came after what Fernández Noroña later described as a “difficult debate” on the presence of foreign armed forces in Mexico.
The disagreement, already tense, boiled over as lawmakers were standing to sing the national anthem at the close of proceedings.
In a press conference after the incident, Fernández Noroña accused Moreno of crossing the line.
“(Moreno) started pulling on me, touching me, pushing. He hit me and said, ‘I’m going to beat the shit out of you, I’m going to kill you’,” he alleged.
Video footage also showed another PRI lawmaker entering the fray, swinging at Fernández Noroña as he tried to walk away.
The shocking scene quickly spread across social media, fueling outrage and renewed calls for greater discipline among Mexico’s political class.
Meanwhile, Moreno has not publicly addressed the incident, though his party members were seen defending his actions as a reaction to what they claimed was unfair treatment during the debate.
Fernández Noroña, however, announced that he will call an emergency session for Friday.
He also vowed to propose the expulsion of Moreno and three other PRI lawmakers involved in the melee.
“This is unacceptable behavior inside the Senate,” he stressed.
The brawl has raised questions about the state of political discourse in Mexico, where deep divisions have frequently led to fiery exchanges.
