Argentina's government is facing disarray after the Senate's efforts to meet International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions led to a brawl in the lower house of Congress.
Although the Senate voted to abolish a "economic subversion" law that critics say is loaded against bankers, the lower house indefinitely put off its own vote and resorted to fisticuffs in a separate debate over another banking law the International Monetary Fund wants revised.
During debate on changes to a bankruptcy law seen by critics as punishing creditors, deputies lunged at each other after a US flag was thrown onto the desk of the lower house leader by a dissident deputy.
President Mr Eduardo Duhalde, in office only four months after two predecessors quit amid riots sparked by a four-year recession, has sought the speedy approval of the two bills - part of a package that includes steep spending cuts to win billions of dollars in international aid.
Angry depositors protested outside banks against a government freeze of their savings and plans to give bonds instead of cash to avert a banking system collapse.