Zulemita Menem, daughter of the late former president Carlos Menem, sharply criticized libertarian influencer Daniel Parisini, known as Gordo Dan, for comments linking Islam to terrorism. In a public letter, she defended the Islamic faith and rejected any confusion between religion and violence. She highlighted the presence of Muslims in President Javier Milei's inner circle.
The dispute erupted on social media when Gordo Dan, host of the program 'La Misa' and close to Javier Milei's government, posted controversial comments about Islam. In a tweet, he described the religion as a 'system of beliefs based on a book that endorses hitting women and stoning them, killing people for their sexual orientation, marrying six-year-old girls, or killing all those who are not Muslim'. He claimed that 'Muslim individuals never appear to condemn terrorist attacks committed in the name of their god' and generalized that Islam is 'liberticidal, murderous, and pedophilic from its conception'.
Zulemita Menem responded with an open letter addressed to 'Dear Daniel', recalling their shared history from the early days on Twitter, when she supported him and Agustín Romo in politics, even with T-shirts featuring her father's phrases like 'I won't let you down' or '1 peso, 1 dollar'. 'Confusing Islam with terrorism is a grave and painful mistake for those of us who profess this faith and reject all forms of violence, no matter where they come from', she wrote. She identified as an 'Argentine and Muslim' and stressed that 'faith does not divide, confusing it with terrorism does'.
Menem referenced the recent attack in Bondi Beach, Sydney, where a man of Islamic faith, Ahmed al Ahmed, heroically intervened to stop the attacker, an act recognized by former President Donald Trump. She also recalled President George W. Bush's visit to a mosque after 9/11 to clarify that the fight was against terrorism, not Islam. She highlighted that many Argentines practice Islam, contribute to society, and deserve respect, citing an incident of harassment against a woman wearing an abaya.
Finally, she pointed out that in Milei's and his sister Karina's circle, there are people with Muslim roots who practice Islam, such as Eduardo 'Lule' Menem, Martín Menem, and Sharif Menem. 'This speaks of diversity, coexistence, and commitment to values that transcend any religion', she concluded.
