Mariano Páez, father of lawyer Agostina Páez, admitted on April 6 that a viral video showing him making racist gestures during a meeting at a bar in Santiago del Estero is authentic. Previously, he had claimed the footage was created using artificial intelligence.
The case drew renewed attention after Mariano Páez acknowledged the video’s authenticity in statements to national media. “I was insulted, they tried to attack me and I reacted very badly,” he said. He also expressed regret for his actions: “I totally regret it, I feel very bad.”
The video was reportedly filmed during an event marking his daughter’s return to Argentina after she had been detained in Brazil as part of a legal case involving racial slander. In the footage, Mariano Páez appears imitating gestures similar to those that led to legal proceedings against his daughter in Rio de Janeiro.
The incident has sparked significant public reaction and reignited debate about the ongoing case. Mariano Páez said he is concerned about how the release of the video could affect his daughter’s judicial situation as she awaits a decision from Brazilian authorities.
Agostina Páez distanced herself from her father’s actions and publicly condemned them. “It is regrettable and I completely reject it,” she said, emphasizing that everyone must take responsibility for their own actions.
The episode adds further tension to an ongoing legal matter as both Argentine and Brazilian observers await developments in Agostina Páez’s case.
