Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla faces legal scrutiny after racist attacks on Kylian Mbappé

Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla de Boccia sparked an international scandal after the World Cup round‑of‑16 loss to France on 4 July 2026. In posts on X she called French striker Kylian Mbappé a “colonized Cameroonian”, “arrogant”, “son of a …”, and later labeled him a “suck‑son” during a Senate session when he allegedly refused to shake goalkeeper Orlando Gill’s hand.

The French Football Federation filed a complaint, and Paris prosecutors opened an investigation for public insult and incitement to hatred. If convicted, Amarilla faces up to one year in prison and a €45 000 fine. Paraguay’s government and Senate issued a resolution condemning the remarks and distancing themselves from the senator, stating the comments do not reflect national values.

Amarilla later claimed her Instagram account had been hacked, temporarily lost control, and posted a message saying she had regained the account and that “the French may continue to harass me”. She continued to denounce Mbappé in the Senate and posted a video of a traditional “Judas kái” doll burning bearing his name. International bodies, including the UN, and French President Emmanuel Macron publicly denounced the statements.