On Tuesday night, Venezuela’s congress looked more like a haphazard bar fight than an official parliamentary session.
Members of the Venezuelan National Assembly erupted in an all out brawl that left at least six representatives battered and bloodied. The kicking, punching and shoving clearly mirror the tense polarization that still resonates after the contended April 14 presidential elections in Venezuela.
Beaten Opposition Representatives Maria Corina Machado (Left) and Julio Borges
The fight began when members of the opposition denounced a ruling that that striped them of legislative power unless they recognized official results of the presidential elections that place Hugo Chavez’ successor Nicolas Maduro in power. The opposition has been demanding a recount of votes as strong suspicions of electoral fraud taint Nicolas Maduro’s 1 percent margin victory. Opposition leaders have stated that they will not recognize Nicolas Maduro as president until a full audit is carried out. The government has yet to comply with this request.
Julio Borges, one of the opposition’s representatives who was beaten told reporters, “The aggression was executed by many people that attacked me without saying a word and [they attacked me] from behind -like cowards”. According to another representative, Abelardo Diaz, it was the pro-Maduro representatives who “went crazy” and began hitting their political rivals.
Tension and aggression in Venezuela fester as controversy over electoral results continue to be debated. This is the third time since the presidential elections pro-Maduro representatives attack opposition members in parliament, reports Andina News.