Argentine lawyer accused of racism released in Brazil but remains under judicial restrictions

Argentine lawyer Agostina Páez, accused of racial insults in Brazil, was released from detention on February 6 after being held for less than 24 hours. She remains in Rio de Janeiro under judicial restrictions that prevent her from returning to Argentina.

Páez, 29, was arrested following an incident on January 14 at a bar in the Ipanema neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. According to authorities, she directed racial insults at three bar employees, calling them "monkeys" and imitating the animal. The confrontation began over a disputed bill payment. When one employee reviewed security camera footage of the incident, Páez imitated a primate and reproduced its sounds, according to accounts of the video evidence.

One of the affected employees filed a police complaint, stating that Páez pointed at him with her finger and used derogatory racial language, calling him "negro" in a discriminatory manner.

Following her release, Páez reunited with her family in Rio de Janeiro on February 9. She reported feeling threatened and expressed fear about her situation. Her father said the family would remain together in Brazil during the legal proceedings.

Although her preventive detention was revoked, Páez must comply with several judicial conditions. These include wearing an electronic ankle monitor, remaining in Brazil, and appearing before the court monthly. She is currently unable to leave the country or return to Argentina.

Páez is also described as an influencer in addition to her work as a lawyer. The case has drawn attention to discussions about racism in Brazil, with media coverage examining broader patterns of racial discrimination in the country.