Tear gas, fist fights and a broken ankle were some of the highlights from the first day of work in Tabasco's state congress where rival politicians battled throughout New Year's Day for the governorship of Mexico's main oil-producing region.
The current conflict began last weekend when Mexico's Election Appeal Board annulled the results of October's gubernatorial vote, accusing the victorious Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) of vote-burning, vote-buying, vote-stealing and a host of other activities which affected the outcome of the ballot.
The official results gave the PRI candidate, Mr Manuel Andrade, victory by just 8,000 votes, or 1.1 per cent of the total. The Election Board called for the appointment of an interim governor and the organisation of fresh elections within six months.
The ruling marks the growing independence of Mexico's electoral authorities, once regarded as a rubber stamp for the designs of the oldest one-party state in the world.
The PRI launched an immediate counter-attack, approving an eleventh-hour amendment to Tabasco's constitution, determined to hold on to a key rural fiefdom.
Thus at 3 a.m. last Sunday the outgoing state congress, with a PRI majority, appointed party loyalist, Mr Enrique Oropeza, as interim governor, with a mandate lasting 18 months.
Tabasco's incoming congress, not to be outdone, called an emergency session on New Year's Day and appointed their own interim governor, Mr Adan Lopez, declaring him acting governor until fresh elections are organised before next June.
The first scuffles began inside congress when PRI deputies tried to steal the microphone from the incoming opposition deputies, to prevent them from reversing the business of the previous day.
The PRI finally left the congress building in the early hours of yesterday morning, cutting off electricity and calling the police, who arrived, batons swinging, cracking several heads among the startled deputies.
Tabasco now has two governors and an unresolved conflict which threatens to spill onto the streets, as opposing parties called for street mobilisations to defend their respective decisions.
"We're keeping a close eye on this" said Mexico's President, Mr Vicente Fox. President Fox has insisted that regional conflicts be resolved by regional authorities - a sharp contrast with past tradition.