The controversy erupted after France eliminated Paraguay from the FIFA World Cup in Philadelphia. Following an intense match, Mbappé declined to shake hands with the Paraguayan goalkeeper, triggering a vitriolic response from Amarilla on X. She labeled the French striker a "colonized Cameroonian" and suggested he was raised by chimpanzees. The French Football Federation has since filed a formal complaint, prompting prosecutors in Paris to weigh charges of incitement to hatred and aggravated public insult.
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Paraguayan Senator Defies Calls for Apology After Racist Mbappé Tirade
Facing potential hate crime charges in Paris, Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla has refused to apologize for a series of racist social media attacks against French football captain Kylian Mbappé, citing her upbringing as a defense while simultaneously demanding the athlete retract his own criticism of her conduct.
While the Paraguayan Foreign Ministry and Vice President Pedro Alliana have distanced the government from the senator's rhetoric, characterizing it as contrary to national values, Amarilla remains defiant. During a press conference, she claimed her comments were a product of her "Generation X" upbringing, where such language was commonplace. Despite a partial retraction in which she admitted to repeating harmful patterns, she explicitly stated she would not apologize, instead demanding that Mbappé—who branded her "despicable" and "unworthy"—issue an apology to her.
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