Mariano Páez, father of lawyer Agostina Páez, was filmed on April 3 replicating the same racist gesture that led to his daughter’s legal troubles in Brazil. The video, which quickly spread online, shows him imitating a monkey in a bar in Santiago del Estero just hours after Agostina returned to Argentina following two months detained in Rio de Janeiro.
The incident has drawn widespread criticism as it occurred during what was intended to be a private celebration marking the end of Agostina’s judicial ordeal. In addition to the gestures, Mariano Páez can be heard making provocative statements such as: “I am disgusted by the State; I do not live off politics. I am an entrepreneur, millionaire and usurer,” while also stating that no Argentine authority helped him pay the $18,000 he contributed for his daughter’s bail.
After the video’s release, Mariano Páez said that although he was present at the bar that night, he denies its authenticity. “I don’t know how they did it; maybe with Artificial Intelligence. They asked me for five million pesos not to publish it and I said no,” he said, alleging an extortion attempt.
Meanwhile, Agostina Páez appeared more reserved upon her arrival back in Argentina. Accompanied by her lawyer Carla Junqueira, she expressed regret over her actions: “I regret having reacted badly. I apologized to the waiter,” she told reporters.
Although allowed to return home after posting bail and being granted habeas corpus relief, Agostina’s legal process in Brazil is ongoing. Her defense team is seeking an agreement for a minimum two-year sentence served through community service in Argentina. A Brazilian judge is expected to decide whether this agreement will be approved within 15 to 20 days.
