Wild brawl erupts between Mexican politicians over US military intervention against drug cartels
A heated debate in the Mexican Senate over potential U.S. military intervention in the country’s war against drug cartels descended into chaos Wednesday, when a physical altercation broke out between two senior lawmakers.
The confrontation, caught on a livestream, unfolded as Senator Alejandro Moreno, leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), approached the lectern at the end of the session and demanded to be heard. Grabbing Senate President Gerardo Fernández Noroña of the ruling Morena party by the arm, Moreno repeatedly shouted, “I’m asking you to let me speak.”
“Don’t touch me!” Fernández Noroña responded, as the situation quickly escalated. The two men shoved each other in front of stunned colleagues, who rushed to intervene.
Footage shows Moreno pushing Fernández Noroña several times, striking him on the neck, and knocking down another senator who tried to break up the scuffle. In the chaos, a third senator was seen pulling at Fernández Noroña’s suit and throwing a punch as the Senate president attempted to exit the scene.
The clash followed a tense debate in which Morena and its allies accused opposition parties PRI and PAN of advocating for U.S. military intervention in Mexico — a claim the opposition denied.
In a statement following the incident, Fernández Noroña announced he would call an emergency session on Friday to propose the expulsion of Moreno and three other PRI lawmakers allegedly involved in the fight.
Moreno, however, rejected the accusations and claimed Fernández Noroña had initiated the violence.
“Let it be clear: the first act of aggression came from Noroña,” Moreno wrote in a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter). “He struck first, out of cowardice. Morena violated the chamber’s agreements, and Noroña revealed his true character.”
He further accused the ruling party of using intimidation tactics to suppress dissent. “This was no accident. It’s part of Morena’s broader strategy to silence opposition and assert control — a strategy executed by followers like Fernández Noroña through shouting, deceit, and violence,” Moreno alleged.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation and renewed concerns about rising tensions within Mexico’s political system.
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