Argentine TV presenter Florencia Peña resigns from Luzu TV after falsely reporting on air that Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, had died. Multiple outlets say the comment was made during Luzu TV’s “El Show del Verano” while Argentina was competing in the World Cup, with the report spreading quickly before being corrected. The Messi family issued a statement clarifying that Jorge Messi is alive and recovering from a health issue, which led to widespread criticism of the presenter and the network over the handling of unverified personal information.
According to reports, Peña later apologized to the Messi family, and some accounts say she personally contacted Lionel Messi’s mother, Celia Cuccittini. Luzu TV acknowledged the lapse, condemned the broadcast of unverified sensitive information as unacceptable, and said it dismissed those responsible. Peña’s resignation follows the incident and the ensuing backlash in Argentina, including comments from prominent political figures. BBC Sport and other outlets describe the resignation as the outcome of an on-air mistake that triggered public outrage and rapid dissemination of the incorrect claim.
