Victoria Villarruel, from the province of Catamarca, spoke publicly for the first time following the turmoil at Casa Rosada sparked by her controversial tweet supporting discriminatory chants related to the Argentine national team. This controversy emerged just as Javier Milei was preparing to visit France for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Villarruel justified her actions by stating that she aimed to “defend the Argentine team and Argentines” and dismissed any potential rift with the Milei brothers, saying, “I overlook the other interpretations and I’m not offended.”
During a press conference, Villarruel downplayed the internal conflicts within the government, particularly with the president and the Secretary-General of the Presidency. She reiterated her intent to defend the national team amidst the diplomatic fallout of her earlier remarks.
Professional and critical journalism is a cornerstone of democracy, which often displeases those who believe they own the truth.
In the midst of a public disagreement with Milei, a recent poll showed Villarruel as the most valued official. The scandal traces back to her post on social media, where she openly supported Argentine footballer Enzo Fernández. Fernández had faced criticism in France after singing a controversial song that had racist and homophobic undertones during the celebration of the Copa América victory on July 14. Villarruel wrote, “No colonialist country is going to intimidate us over a chant or for stating the truths that they don’t want to admit. Enough of the feigned outrage, hypocrites. Enzo, I support you.”
In a subsequent streaming interview, Milei stated, “You can’t generate an institutional mess diplomatically over a sports issue. But it’s sorted now; Kari fixed it.” Karina Milei indeed led an “emergency” meeting at the French embassy to clarify that Villarruel’s unfortunate comment on social media was a personal opinion and did not represent the government’s stance on intertwining sports passions with diplomatic matters, as explained by presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni.
The controversy resulted in the removal of Julio Garro, the former undersecretary of sports, after he suggested that Lionel Messi and the Argentine Football Association should apologize for the incident.
The notorious chant included phrases such as “they play in France but they’re all from Angola,” which Villarruel disregarded while labeling France a “colonialist country.” The incident escalated to the point of FIFA launching an investigation, and the English club Chelsea, where Fernández plays, issued a disciplinary file against him. Fernández later apologized on his Instagram account.
Concerns regarding the government’s handling of the situation led to a decline in public confidence according to a survey by the University of Di Tella. Villarruel reflected on the first six months of Milei’s administration, urging citizens to put in “more effort” in light of the country’s complex economic situation.
Acknowledging the challenges, she noted, “We are in a moment of great support from society, but it is a difficult time. We are all aware of this—both President Milei and the cabinet and all of us in the national government.” She concluded by lamenting, “Many years have been wasted in the destruction of state institutions, social fabric, and bonds among Argentines.”
Source: https://www.perfil.com/noticias/politica/quise-defender-a-la-seleccion-argentina-villarruel-se-justifico-y-le-puso-panos-frios-a-la-interna-con-milei.phtml
