Twenty deputies fought with punches, kicks and slaps on Tuesday during a session of the Bolivian Parliament devoted to the fate of opponent Luis Fernando Camacho, imprisoned since December.
Parliament heard Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo, who came to present a report on the incarceration of Mr Camacho, accused of “terrorism” for an alleged “coup” in 2019 against the left-wing president of the time, Evo Morales.
During his speech, Mr. del Castillo described the elected representatives of Creemos, the right-wing party of Mr. Camacho, as “groups of radicals, thieves and violent people who came to steal the portfolio of the Bolivian people”.
A group of opposition female MPs then held up signs with messages such as “there is no democracy when there are political prisoners”, and a photo of Mr del Castillo crossed out with the phrase: “ Minister of Terror”.
Several deputies of the majority on the left then rushed on them to try to snatch their banners, according to images broadcast on social networks.
The stampede lasted several minutes during which the deputies copiously slapped and pulled each other by the hair and exchanged punches and screams.
Calm returned after the session was suspended, and Parliament Speaker David Choquehuanca said he would summon both political camps to lecture them.