Hebe Casado declared persona non grata by French embassy over racist comments

Vice‑governor of Mendoza Hebe Casado posted on X after France’s 1‑0 win over Paraguay in the 2026 World Cup, writing “Muy bien Paraguay. El equipo africano flojo de modales. No lo aguanto a Mbappé.” The French ambassador in Argentina, Romain Nadal, said the remarks were racist and declared Casado “persona non grata” to the French Embassy. She is barred from entering the embassy premises and French officials will not attend meetings with Mendoza authorities when she is present. The embassy stressed that “racism is not an opinion, it is a crime” and that there is “no place for racism in Franco‑Argentine cooperation.” Casado has defended the tweet as football‑folklore, denying any discriminatory intent and demanding proof of racism. The sanction is protocol‑level only – it does not restrict travel to France.