The atmosphere in Mexico's Senate reached a boiling point on Thursday when discussions over the role of U.S. involvement in the country's fight against drug cartels turned violent. The incident, which was not only a display of heightened partisan tensions but also a reflection of the deep-seated divisions over cartel violence strategies, saw lawmakers engage in a physical altercation on the Senate floor.
The confrontation began after Alejandro “Alito” Moreno, the leader of the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), demanded additional time to speak following the adjournment of the session. A video that has since gone viral on social media depicts Moreno approaching Senate President Gerardo Fernández Noroña of the ruling Morena party and forcefully grabbing his arm. Amidst shouts of "I’m asking you to let me speak," from Moreno and "Don’t touch me!" from Noroña, other senators and aides quickly became involved, with one aide falling to the ground and another senator attempting to land a punch on Noroña. The scuffle escalated as more lawmakers joined the fray, with the chamber echoing with shouts and commotion.
In the aftermath, Noroña described the confrontation as a deliberate provocation by Moreno. He told reporters, "[Moreno] started to provoke me, to touch me, to pull at me. He hit me on the arms and said: ‘I’m going to beat the s
