Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla has published an open letter addressed to French football star Kylian Mbappé, accusing him of arrogance, disrespect toward Paraguay, and gender-based political violence. In the letter, the senator insists that her criticism was never directed at France, but solely at the player himself.
“The problem is between you and me,” Amarilla wrote. “I have never said anything against France. On the contrary, I stand with France.”
She went on to describe her lifelong connection to the country, explaining that she attended a French school from the age of two until she was 17. She credited her education at the Collège de l’Immaculée Conception with shaping who she is today.
“I sang La Marseillaise, honored the French flag alongside my own, speak French, and genuinely love visiting France,” she wrote, noting that she spent last Christmas with her family in Courchevel before celebrating New Year’s in Saint-Tropez.
According to Amarilla, her grievance has never been with France but with Mbappé’s conduct before, during, and after the recent match against Paraguay.
She said she was offended by comments she attributed to the French captain before kickoff, particularly his remark, “If we have to put our hands in the dirt, then let’s do it.”
“We understood exactly what you meant,” she wrote. “By ‘the dirt,’ you were referring to the Paraguayan team, and the Paraguayan team represents all of us.”
She also referenced another comment in which Mbappé allegedly said he would “remove our makeup,” saying Paraguayans clearly understood the intended insult but chose not to respond before the match.
Amarilla further criticized Mbappé’s behavior on the pitch, accusing him of showing contempt toward Paraguayan players.
“Your arrogance was evident throughout the game,” she wrote. “You treated every Paraguayan player as though they were beneath you.”
She also claimed Mbappé shouted an offensive insult in Spanish during the match without attempting to conceal it, describing it as particularly offensive in Latin American culture.
The senator reserved some of her strongest criticism for what she described as Mbappé’s actions after the final whistle.
She accused him of showing no concern for the health of Paraguay’s goalkeeper, refusing to shake his hand, and celebrating victory directly in his face.
“Respect between rivals after a match is almost sacred,” Amarilla wrote. “In one moment, you displayed contempt, arrogance, and poor manners. It hurt me, it hurt my country, and it hurt deeply.”
She added that France, a nation she described as one of honor, history, and savoir-faire, should hold Mbappé accountable for his conduct.
Amarilla also acknowledged that some of her own social media posts were written in anger immediately after the match.
“My blood was boiling,” she admitted. “I regretted responding with the same insults that I myself reject. I realized I was repeating the very behavior I despise, so I deleted the post.”
Despite withdrawing her earlier remarks, Amarilla said she now expects Mbappé to do the same.
“I demand that you retract your statements and apologize to me,” she wrote. “I will not tolerate your violence either.”
The senator also rejected comments she says Mbappé made describing her as “a despicable woman, unworthy of the office I hold.”
Emphasizing her democratic mandate, Amarilla reminded Mbappé that she serves as a Senator of Paraguay after previously serving as a National Deputy, both positions won through elections.
“Thousands of Paraguayan men and women elected me and consider me their voice,” she wrote. “My duty is to speak for my people, to say what they cannot say, and to defend my country if necessary.”
She argued that Mbappé had no right to question her legitimacy or dignity.
“You do not know me,” she wrote. “Who are you to call me unworthy or despicable?”
Amarilla concluded by describing the alleged remarks as gender-based political violence, arguing that the insults targeted both her role as an elected official and her identity as a woman.
She ended the letter with a direct demand:
“Retract your statements, honor your French citizenship, and apologize. Otherwise, I may pursue legal action for gender-based violence.”
— Celeste Amarilla
Senator of the Paraguayan Nation
