LAW MAKERS COME TO BLOWS DURING VALUE-ADDED TAX DEBATE, 1997-12-05 (photo)

Mexican congressmen come to blows during a debate on the rate of Value Added Tax late December 4. Raising the rate of VAT was one of the last PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) legislature's proudest achievements. One of the first actions by the new opposition-dominated legislature was to amend the budget bill and lower the rate of VAT, and PRI politicians used to 70 years of getting their own way violently tried to stop the proceedings. The amendment was later passed, although it will probably be blocked in the still PRI-dominated Senate. MEXICO ASSEMBLY