On Tuesday, a press conference held by Verónica Barbero, the spokesperson for the leftist coalition Sumar, was disrupted by Bertrand Ndongo, a far-right activist, accredited by the Congress of Deputies.

Ndongo, known for previous confrontations with parliamentary members and journalists, interrupted Barbero immediately after her initial remarks with loud and aggressive questioning, impeding the ability of other journalists to ask their questions.

He sought a response regarding the legal proceedings against Mónica Oltra, the former Vice President of the Valencian Generalitat, which were confirmed by the Provincial Court the previous day.

As Ndongo persisted, journalists from various media outlets collectively decided to leave the press room in protest.

This decision was supported by the Parliamentary Journalists Association, which issued a statement condemning such behavior from accredited individuals.

The statement called for urgent reforms to address the ongoing issues related to disruptive conduct within the Congress.

The incident lasted approximately one and a half minutes in the official press room of the lower house.

Ndongo accused Barbero and her colleagues of neglecting to address the plight of abuse victims, while also demanding attention to other figures affiliated with Vox, a right-wing political party.

Despite Barbero's requests for silence, Ndongo continued to voice his protests.

In light of the incident, the Congress's Board of Spokespersons acknowledged the situation and planned to amend the Chamber's regulations to implement sanctions for similar behaviors.

The reform, supported by all parliamentary groups except the People's Party (PP) and Vox, is scheduled for discussion in a plenary session next Tuesday.

Following the disruption, most journalists chose not to attend the remaining scheduled press conferences as a form of protest, although they indicated they would continue to report on the events.

The Congressional Communication Directorate acknowledged their limitations in managing such disruptions but emphasized that stricter measures are applied to journalist conduct in corridors leading to the hemicycle.

Historically, the Congress has faced increasing challenges related to confrontational conduct from various accredited individuals, leading to a push for regulatory reforms aimed at curbing manipulation and destabilization efforts from certain media outlets.

The proposed changes require a majority vote and have the backing of parties aligned with the investment agreement, with anticipated opposition from the PP and Vox.

Discussion regarding the incident continued in the Board of Spokespersons meeting, where PP spokesperson Miguel Tellado and Vox spokesperson Pepa Millán asserted their commitment to addressing all media inquiries while criticizing the actions of what they termed 'pseudo-journalists.' Millán stated that the current situation reflects a governmental attempt to censor dissent.

Notable speeches continued despite the reduced presence of journalists, with parliamentary leaders—including members from Podemos, ERC, and Sumar—condemning the incident.

Aina Vidal, the spokesperson for Sumar, highlighted the importance of maintaining respectful discourse and supporting initiatives led by journalists against such hostile behaviors.

The comments reflected a broader concern regarding the atmosphere in Congress, described by some as a space where aggressive tactics are implemented against political figures and journalists by certain factions.

In previous months, notable protests had taken place outside the Congress, calling attention to unacceptable behaviors exhibited by other far-right agitators operating under the guise of media representatives.

The Association of Parliamentary Journalists reiterated a commitment to uphold professional ethics across the board, regardless of individual political ideologies, while advocating for urgent reforms.