Paraguay Senate rejects senator Celeste Amarilla’s ‘racist’ attack on Kylian Mbappe

The Paraguayan Senate has condemned what it described as “discriminatory and racist expressions” directed at France captain Kylian Mbappe by senator Celeste Amarilla following the two nations’ World Cup last-16 clash.

The 61-year-old lawyer sparked outrage after referring to the Real Madrid forward as a “colonized Cameroonian” after France’s victory over Paraguay on Saturday.

The controversy intensified when Amarilla took to social media to criticize Mbappe, sharing a post of the striker celebrating in front of Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill with a series of offensive remarks targeting his background.

Paraguay’s Senate later held a five-hour debate on Wednesday before passing a motion rejecting all forms of racism and discrimination. The chamber stressed that Amarilla’s statements did not reflect the official position of the Senate or the views of Paraguay as a nation.

Senate leader tells Amarilla to ‘become the master of her silence’

Amarilla attended the parliamentary session and reportedly continued her criticism of Mbappe, describing him with an offensive insult over his decision not to shake Gill’s hand after the match.

While some senators defended Amarilla’s comments, arguing they were a reaction to what they considered disrespect from the French star, the majority of the chamber moved to distance itself from her remarks.

Senate leader Basilio Nunez was among those who strongly criticized Amarilla, saying her comments were damaging and did not represent Paraguayans.

“For me, the senator’s posts aren’t just bad, they’re terrible and they don’t represent what most Paraguayans think. We must show racism the red card,” Nunez said.

He also urged Amarilla to “become the master of her silence” following the backlash.

FIFA, Real Madrid and France federation condemn remarks

The Paraguayan government had already criticized Amarilla’s comments earlier in the week, stating they went against the country’s values of respect, dignity and peaceful coexistence.

Officials emphasized that the senator’s views did not represent the government or the Paraguayan people, while reaffirming their commitment to fighting racism, xenophobia and discrimination.

Mbappe himself described the remarks as “despicable” and “racist,” prompting condemnation from football’s leading institutions.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino “unequivocally” condemned Amarilla’s comments, saying the football world stood with the France captain in the fight against racism.

Real Madrid also issued a statement expressing its “strongest condemnation of the deplorable racist and xenophobic remarks,” while the French Football Federation reported Amarilla’s comments to prosecutors with a view to possible legal action.

Mbappe continues World Cup charge

The controversy comes as Mbappe continues to dominate headlines on the pitch. The France forward scored the decisive penalty in the 1-0 victory over Paraguay, sending Les Bleus into the quarter-finals against Morocco.

The 27-year-old remains France’s all-time leading goalscorer and is among the contenders for the World Cup Golden Boot after scoring seven goals in four matches, level with Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.