Sunday, July 19, 2026

Paraguayan senator defends racial slur against Mbappe as parliament condemns outburst

The case was debated on the floor of the Paraguayan parliament on Wednesday, and Ms Amarilla justified her statement, claiming that the Real Madrid player is not a true Frenchman.

• July 9, 2026
Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla
Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla

Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla has doubled down on her racist tirade against France star Kylian Mbappe despite widespread condemnation of her remarks around the world. 

The politician came under fire for referring to Mbappe as a “colonised Cameroonian” and stating that the only “advanced creatures” he interacted with while growing up were chimpanzees. 

The case was debated on the floor of the Paraguayan parliament on Wednesday, and Ms Amarilla justified her statement, claiming that the Real Madrid player is not a true Frenchman. 

“When Orlando Gill, a boy who was surely setting foot in a World Cup for the first time, in Europe for the first time, was playing before the world and extends his hand with all the humility of a Paraguayan, and this son of a bitch refuses to shake his hand and yells in his face, that is not French, a Frenchman would never have done that,” the senator said. 

She added, “France is Rousseau, Descartes, Montesquieu, Victor Hugo, Simone de Beauvoir, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. I refuse to reduce all that great France and that enormous cultural, artistic, and democratic legacy to Mbappé.” 

Meanwhile, the Paraguayan Senate, on Wednesday, overwhelmingly passed a motion condemning Ms Amarilla’s attacks on Mbappe following five hours of deliberations. 

“After the modifications, the item was worded as follows: Declaration Project Rejecting the discriminatory and racist expressions of Senator Celeste Amarilla against the French national team player,” the parliament wrote on social media. 

Similarly, the Peoples Gazette reported that FIFA said it has opened an investigation into a racist abuse directed at streamer IshowSpeed during a match involving Argentina and Cape Verde at the Miami Stadium. 

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Heading 1

2027: Opposition not in disarray, we’re on top of our game, ex-presidential candidate Onovo says

Mr Onovo said the opposition was ahead of the ruling party despite the crisis over their candidacies on various political platforms.

NationWide

Troops rescue seven kidnap victims, kill two kidnappers

The troops also recovered arms, ammunition and other items in coordinated operations across Borno, Yobe, Benue and Plateau states.

Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN)

Economy

Fuel price uncertainty forced marketers to halt supply temporarily: IPMAN

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) says uncertainty over petrol prices has forced many marketers to halt fresh purchases, leading to the temporary closure of some filling

Economy

Tinubu committed to investment in renewable energy, says presidential aides

He said Mr Tinubu is committed to investments in renewable energy development, human capital empowerment, clean energy innovation, and Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan.

FLOODED FARM

Agriculture

Flooding may raise vegetable prices, Lagos farmers warn

“If we sold vegetables at lower prices before, they will now become more expensive because farmers must recover their losses,” she said.

Released Oyo hostages

States

Oyo Abduction: Freed teacher says terrorists released victims before security operatives arrived

Abducted on May 15, the Oyo schoolchildren and their teachers were freed on June 10, after 56 days in captivity.