The national politics and the entertainment world collided head-on this June 18 following President Javier Milei's intervention on the social network X. The president referred to the actions of certain sectors of the media as "garbage Corpo", personalizing his criticism towards the ultra-Kirchnerist actress Florencia Peña. The head of state exploded after the host spread, without any rigor, the false news about the death of Jorge Messi, father of the captain of the Argentinanational team, generating a state of widespread distress amid the World Cup competition.
In his message, Milei was blunt in describing the actress's professional degradation: "When one thinks they have seen it all from the media, certain characters remind us that one can always sink lower".
The president, Javier Milei on X:
The President labeled Peña's statements as "aberrant and unscrupulous", pointing out that, even if the information had been true, it would have constituted a violation of a citizen's privacy. For the president, this episode is a reminder of the "impunity" with which individuals operate, believing that having a microphone exempts them from "human decency, morality, or respect for the truth".
The president also marked a strong distinction between streaming platforms and traditional media. He emphasized that, unlike newspapers that cover for journalists who tire of "dirtying, slandering, or defaming", the channel had the decency to "fire this nefarious character". According to Milei, Peña is nothing more than a "petty gossipmonger" who, along with others of her kind, pretends to give moral lessons while receiving "advertising money from politicians to sustain media that, if they only depended on their audience, would have already gone bankrupt".
The incident that triggered the presidential fury occurred during the program "The Summer Show" on Luzu TV. There, the activist interrupted the broadcast to announce: "I don't want to give bad news, but Messi's dad has just died. Was it something sudden? What information is there? In the middle of the World Cup! He will have to leave". Despite the forcefulness of her words, minutes later she had to timidly retract, admitting that "it was a fake", although the damage had already spread across all social media.
Florencia Peña on LUZU TV
In the face of the scandal, Florencia Peña attempted to mount a defense based on victimization and blame-shifting. In a subsequent interview, she claimed to be "very mortified" and "shaking", alleging that the order to give the news came directly from her technical team: "I was told about that news through the earpiece... They asked me to say it". The actress insisted that she was "disconnected" and did not have "the phone or the computer" on air to verify the data. However, this excuse was not sufficient for the channel's authorities.
Finally, the company led by Nicolás Occhiato issued an official statement this Thursday, June 18, confirming the dismissal of the actress and two producers involved. The text qualifies what happened as "unacceptable" and reaffirms its commitment to "rigorous" communication. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi's family categorically denied the death, clarifying that Jorge Messi is "under medical supervision, recovering and evolving favorably", while condemning the spread of these malicious versions.
