Legislators supporting and opposing leftist President Hugo Chavez engaged in fisticuffs Thursday during a National Assembly session in which cabinet ministers were being questioned. Fighting broke out when the head of the single-chamber legislature, Fernando Soto Rojas, interrupted opposition lawmaker Alfredo Ramos for going beyond his allotted time.
Pro-Chavez legislators applauded the move, but punches flew when a group of opposition lawmakers approached Soto Rojas's rostrum to complain.
Amid a loud ruckus, opposition lawmaker Alfredo Marquina swung his fists as he faced pro-Chavez legislators. Marquina's colleagues tried to calm him down, while Soto Rojas vainly called for order. Broadcast networks halted live nation-wide coverage during the incident, which lasted several minutes.
"We came to work in peace, and do not expect to be assaulted for what we say," said Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, one of the ministers taking questions. Maduro asked the opposition to "lower a bit the level of aggression," then joked that they needed camomile tea "to calm the nerves."
The Venezuelan people "want to see a country in peace, and I hope this will not be repeated," said opposition legislator Miguel Cochiola.
For years Chavez supporters have held an overwhelming majority of National Assembly seats. But since January, 40 percent of the seats were taken over by Chavez opponents.