A legislative session in Mexico City's Congress turned into a scene of shocking physical violence on Monday as rival female lawmakers engaged in a hair-pulling, shoving, and punching brawl at the chamber's podium.
Debate Over Transparency Agency Sparks Chaos
The explosive altercation erupted during a heated debate over a controversial proposal to eliminate the city's transparency body, InfoCDMX. This agency is tasked with safeguarding the public's right to access government information and protecting personal data. The dominant left-leaning Morena party and its allies were pushing for the measure, which would see InfoCDMX replaced with another oversight body.
Members of the opposition right-wing National Action Party (PAN) were vocally protesting the move. According to reports from Mexico News Daily, PAN legislators stormed the podium in a demonstration against Morena. The situation turned physical when Morena members demanded the PAN representatives leave the dais.
Centre-Stage Confrontation and Failed Intervention
The confrontation quickly focused on two deputies: PAN's Daniela Álvarez and Morena's Yuriri Ayala. Dramatic footage captured the pair forcefully grabbing each other's arms and exchanging blows before other politicians joined the melee. The scene descended into a chaotic mess of screaming, hair-pulling, and elbow-throwing, with onlookers recording the incident on their phones.
The only man present at the podium, Green Party Deputy and Congress President Jesús Sesma, was seen attempting, unsuccessfully, to separate his aggressive colleagues. The clash resulted in at least one apparent injury; Mexico Daily News reported that PAN Deputy Claudia Pérez was later seen being helped into a neck brace.
Aftermath and Mutual Recriminations
Once the fight subsided, PAN lawmakers exited the chamber. The Morena majority, facing no further opposition, continued the session and ultimately voted to disband the InfoCDMX agency.
In the incident's aftermath, both parties issued statements condemning violence while squarely blaming each other for instigating the debacle. A PAN aide, Andres Atayde, claimed his party took the podium peacefully and accused Morena of responding with violence. Álvarez called the governing party's conduct "vulgar" and "lamentable."
Conversely, a Morena spokesperson, Paulo Garcia, told local outlet Milenio that the opposition was "systematically resorting to violence instead of arguments." This ugly incident follows a similarly violent outbreak in Mexico's Senate in August, highlighting a trend of physical confrontations replacing political discourse.
