The final session of Mexico’s Permanent Congressional Commission ended in fisticuffs after an opposition senator took several swings at the Senate president amid a fracas on the rostrum.
Gerardo Fernández Noroña, the target of the attack and a member of the ruling Morena party, said on Thursday that he was filing criminal charges against Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Sen. Alejandro Moreno.
The Permanent Commission — convened when Congress is in recess — will reportedly hold an emergency session on Friday to address the brawl and consider actions against Moreno, who could face dismissal from the Senate.
The incident occurred at the end of Wednesday’s session, sparked by Fernández Noroña’s refusal to recognize Moreno, who sought to participate in debate. As president of the Senate, Fernández Noroña is also president of the Permanent Commission.
As the national anthem played signaling the end of the session, Moreno climbed onto the crowded dais and sidled up to Fernández. Once the anthem was over, Moreno began screaming at Fernández Noroña, who backed away.
An infuriated Moreno shoved Fernández Noroña and made contact with a pair of open-handed slaps to the face and neck.
An official photographer on Fernández Noroña’s team, Emiliano González, leaped onto the podium and stepped into the fray, pushing Moreno, who responded with a two-handed shove that sent González sprawling to the ground where two PRI deputies appeared to kick the fallen photographer. González later appeared wearing a neck brace, his right arm heavily wrapped and in a sling.
Moreno was not only angry about being prohibited from speaking, but also upset that Morena had allegedly coerced a PRI senator to switch parties. That switch reduced the once-powerful PRI to just 14 senators, prompting their removal from the Senate leadership committee for the first time since the party was founded in 1929.
The session was chaotic from beginning to end. The Morena faction lobbed insults at National Action Party (PAN) Sen. Lily Téllez as she defended her recent controversial remarks on Fox News, in which she claimed that Mexicans want U.S. help to fight drug cartels.
PRI and PAN lawmakers responded by calling Morena “a narco-party,” singling out Sen. Adán Augusto López as “a narco-politician” and criticizing Fernández Noroña’s recent acquisition of a 12 million-peso house.
On Thursday, Fernández Noroña said the Permanent Commission will consider impeachment charges against Moreno on Friday. Formal action would take place once the new Senate session begins on Monday.
With reports from El País, El Financiero and La Jornada
