The renowned journalist Eduardo Feinmann broke his silence after being assaulted in broad daylight by union leader Marcelo Peretta. The incident took place Monday morning at the entrance of Radio Mitre and was captured on video.
The host's reaction was immediate: "It's part of the thuggish, union, mafia-like, corrupt, and violent structure that exists in Argentina", he stated, visibly outraged.
During his program Someone Has to Say It, which leads the morning radio ratings with more than 40% share according to Ibope, Feinmann directly targeted Peretta. "To the Perettas of the world I say: you'll have to kill me to silence me", he declared, and criticized the leader, who in 2021 was a candidate for Buenos Aires City legislator (where he received only 0.13% of the votes), for now seeking to reach the national Congress. "Politics itself should condemn him and remove him from the board", he emphasized.
Witnesses and a video released by the Bardeo News portal show the moment when Peretta, head of the Pharmacists and Biochemists Union, waited for Feinmann on Mansilla Street.
As seen, he insulted him and even physically assaulted him with a kick to the hip, in addition to vandalizing his vehicle. The situation did not escalate thanks to the intervention of economist Guillermo "Willy" Laborda, a member of the same radio show, and a City Police officer who was in the area.
On his social media, Peretta justified the act by claiming he was seeking a "face-to-face" with Feinmann to demand an apology for his public criticism. However, the footage shows aggressive and defiant behavior, which quickly caused condemnation in various circles.
The incident prompted multiple expressions of support for the journalist. Among them, the message from presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni stood out: "My full solidarity with Eduardo Feinmann, who was assaulted after leaving his radio show by some brute who surely only understands violent practices as the sole method of expression".
This is not the first violent episode involving Peretta. In March 2022, the union leader was accused of assaulting attorney Gustavo Jorge Gallo, whom he punched and kicked, causing injuries and pushing him down some stairs. That time as well, there were witnesses and audiovisual evidence of the incident.
