Chaos in Mexico’s Senate as lawmakers trade blows over U.S. military intervention debate

Mexico’s Senate descended into chaos on Wednesday after a heated exchange between lawmakers escalated into a physical confrontation on the chamber floor.

The drama unfolded during a tense debate over accusations that opposition lawmakers had called for United States military intervention to combat Mexico’s powerful drug cartels — a claim that has sparked outrage across the political divide.

Tensions boiled over when Alejandro Moreno, leader of the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), stormed to the podium at the end of the session. Furious that he had not been granted the floor, Moreno confronted Senate president Gerardo Fernández Noroña of the ruling Morena party.

In a video shared by Mexico’s Senate on social media, Moreno can be seen shoving Fernández Noroña multiple times, slapping him on the neck, and even pushing another man to the ground when he attempted to intervene.

The brawl followed a heated debate during which the opposition PRI and PAN were accused of calling for US military intervention, a claim that both parties deny.

Norona said later he would file a complaint against Moreno for bodily harm and request that his legislative immunity be revoked.

“The debate could be very harsh, very bitter, very strong… today when (opposition legislators) are exposed for their treason, they lose their minds because they were exposed,” he said.

Moreno accused Norona of initiating the attack, saying on social media platform X: “He was the one who started the attack; he did it because he couldn’t silence us with arguments.”

Both senators are involved in separate controversies.

Moreno faces possible impeachment proceedings for alleged corruption during his tenure as governor of Campeche state from 2015 to 2019.

Norona has been criticized over reports that he owns an expensive house at a time when Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has urged public officials to live modestly.

US media reported this month that President Donald Trump had directed the Pentagon to use military force against Latin American drug cartels deemed terrorist organizations.

For its part, Mexico stressed that it “would not accept the participation of US military forces on our territory.”

(AFP)