Brawl Erupts Between Senate President, Opposition Leader in Mexico

A physical altercation broke out in Mexico's Senate between Alejandro "Alito" Moreno, leader of the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), and Senate President Gerardo Fernández Noroña of the ruling Morena party during a session that ended with the singing of the national anthem. The clash occurred after a heated debate over the presence of foreign armed forces in Mexico and repeated requests by PRI members to speak, which were denied by Noroña. Moreno approached Noroña as the anthem concluded, grabbed his arm, and pushed him multiple times before throwing a punch, which escalated into a broader scuffle involving other lawmakers and staffers. Noroña responded by announcing plans to hold an emergency session to propose the expulsion of Moreno and three other PRI senators involved in the fight. Moreno claimed that Noroña had struck him first, while Noroña described Moreno's behavior as aggressive and threatening. This incident highlights ongoing political tensions between the weakened PRI under Moreno's leadership and the ruling Morena party, which holds a congressional majority following the 2024 elections.