Bolivian deputies and senators fight each other during a session of the Legislative Assembly

(CNN Spanish) – In the Legislative Assembly of Bolivia, blows and shoves were reported this Tuesday, when an interpellation was made to the Minister of Government Eduardo del Castillo. As reported by the Chamber of Deputies in a statement, the protagonists of the event were Senator Henry Montero, head of the opposition group We believe; the deputy Tatiana Áñez, also from that alliance, and the official deputies for the Movement towards Socialism (MAS) Antonio Colque and Gloria Callizaya.

Speaking to the media, Senator Montero apologized for the incidents, although he accused the MAS members of having started the dispute.

“We will continue fighting, not with aggressions, not with the physical, but I must also tell the authorities that they respect us,” he said. In the same vein, Deputy Tatiana Áñez spoke in statements to Red Uno, a CNN affiliate. She said that she approached to try to separate the officials who were being beaten and that, when she fell to the ground, a pro-government deputy grabbed her by the hair.

“They are physically and verbally attacking, it is not an interpellation in accordance with the regulations, there are insults involved and that cannot be allowed,” said Deputy Colque, who also apologized for the violence. Meanwhile, Deputy Callizaya argued that she wanted to prevent the beatings perpetrated on Colque when Áñez scratched his face.

According to the ethics regulations of the Chamber of Deputies, it is considered a “very serious” offense when a parliamentarian resorts to offensive or violent acts both inside and outside the Legislative Assembly. The corresponding sanction is temporary separation from the Chamber for 6 to 12 months and without the right to remuneration.

The interpellation session with the Minister of Government was about the arrest of former interim president Jeanine Áñez. The incidents began when del Castillo spoke of the victims of the clashes between the military forces and protesters in November 2019, according to the Ministry of Government.