Morena Picks Higinio Martínez for Senate Presidency, Noroña Objects

Mexico’s ruling party, Morena, has designated Higinio Martínez to preside over the Senate, according to El Financiero. The decision, reported on August 31, 2026, was immediately challenged by Senator Gerardo Noroña, who broke with the party’s internal consensus over the move.

Noroña publicly rejected the selection process, accusing party leadership of “connivance” with the opposition in arranging the Senate’s governing board, as reported by both Milenio and El Universal. His remarks signal a rare public rift within Morena as the chamber prepares for its next legislative session.

Martínez, a seasoned political operator from the State of Mexico, is credited with helping dismantle the PRI’s long-standing grip on that state, according to Expansión Política. His rise to the Senate presidency would place a key party strategist in one of Mexico’s most powerful legislative posts.

The dispute centers on how the Mesa Directiva, the Senate’s leadership body, will be constituted. Noroña’s claim of collusion suggests internal disagreements over the balance of power within the chamber, though no further details on the alleged arrangement were provided in the reports.

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Morena’s designation of Martínez appears to have been made despite Noroña’s objections, leaving the party to manage the fallout as the Senate’s new term approaches. The episode highlights ongoing tensions between Morena’s legislative leadership and its more outspoken members.

What to watch next: whether Noroña’s challenge forces a reconsideration of the Senate leadership slate or leads to a formal vote on the floor.