The Paraguayan government has publicly distanced itself from racist comments made by Senator Celeste Amarilla about French footballer Kylian Mbappé, saying her remarks were made in a personal capacity and do not represent either the government or the Paraguayan people.
In a statement published on X by the country’s foreign ministry, the government said it “deplores and rejects” the comments, describing them as incompatible with the principles of respect, peaceful coexistence and human dignity.
“The statements made by the aforementioned legislator correspond exclusively to the exercise of her individual responsibility as a member of the Legislative Branch,” the ministry said. It added that the remarks “in no way represent the position of the Government of the Republic of Paraguay or the Paraguayan people”.
The diplomatic intervention followed a wave of international criticism after Amarilla posted a series of racist comments on social media in the aftermath of France’s 1-0 victory over Paraguay at the FIFA World Cup.
The senator referred to Mbappé as a “colonised Cameroonian” and made further derogatory remarks about the France forward’s heritage, prompting widespread condemnation.
Emmanuel Macron denounced the comments, while the French Football Federation said it would file a report with the public prosecutor’s office seeking judicial action against Amarilla.
Kylian Mbappé also responded, describing the senator as “a despicable woman” who was “unworthy of her position”.
The episode has added a diplomatic dimension to what began as a sporting rivalry, with Paraguay’s government seeking to contain the fallout by making clear that Amarilla’s views do not reflect the country’s official position.
