Dismissal of Argentine presenter and team follows false news about the death of Lionel Messi’s father
A streaming channel in Argentina, LuzuTV, terminated presenter Florencia Peña and her entire production team for publishing untrue information. During a live broadcast, the program mistakenly reported the death of Jorge Messi, father of renowned player Lionel Messi, generating great repercussions.
The incident unfolded in real time, as Florencia Peña received the information through an earpiece and promptly relayed it to viewers. Shortly afterwards, the presenter realized the inconsistency of the data and tried to recant, questioning the veracity of the news on air. Immediately, a producer of the program intervened, taking responsibility for the failure.
In the apology, the producer explained that the false news was circulating on platforms such as Twitter, but had not been confirmed by any reliable media outlet. He clarified that the team had released the information before completing the necessary verification, regretting what happened on behalf of everyone involved in the production.
"Flor Peña":
— ¿Por qué es tendencia? (@porquetendencia) June 18, 2026
Porque en #ElShowDelVerano aseguraron que Jorge Messi había fallecido y luego aclararon que la noticia no estaba confirmada pic.twitter.com/uIINQLsoyF
After the team’s retraction, the presenter tried to alleviate the seriousness of the error, commenting on the difficulty in discerning true information from false information in current communication. She emphasized the importance of questioning everything until official confirmation, although the responsibility for checking fell on her team.
Repercussion among those involved in the broadcaster
On social media, several LuzuTV members expressed their dissatisfaction with the failure, classifying the error as unacceptable. They indicated that the broadcaster would carry out a rigorous internal investigation, promising severe sanctions to those responsible for disseminating the untrue news.
Following the decision to cancel her program, “El Show del Verano”, on LuzuTV, Florencia Peña used her Instagram account to publicly apologize to the Messi family and the public. In the same post, the presenter confirmed her departure from the streaming platform.
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In his message, Peña expressed deep embarrassment at having been the vehicle of such pain for the family. She clarified that the false information was broadcast live as she believed that the production team had already verified the data, attributing part of the error to the dynamics of the information at the time.
Despite pointing out the origin of the information, the presenter assumed her share of responsibility for the failure. That was why he decided to step aside and end his participation in LuzuTV, reiterating his apology and admitting the mistake he made.
Jorge Messi’s real health situation
Recently, Lionel Messi’s family announced that Jorge Messi, his father, is facing a health problem and is under medical care. This communication had the main objective of denying the rumors about his death, which spread on social media.
The false news caused great confusion and shook the number 10 of the Argentine team. In an official note, the star harshly criticized those responsible for publishing it, pointing out the lack of sensitivity, respect and scruples.
Rumors about Jorge’s health had already emerged previously. During an Argentina game against Algeria, in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, Lionel Messi was seen visibly emotional, which sparked speculation about his father’s condition.
Below is the full note released by the Messi family, detailing Jorge’s health status:
“The Messi family informs that Jorge is going through a health situation. At this moment, he is under medical care, recovering, and is progressing favorably within the situation he presents. In light of versions, rumors and speculations that have circulated in the last few hours, the family wants to express their deep discomfort at the lack of sensitivity, respect and scruples with which some people treated a strictly private and family situation. The family also wishes to clarify that only the closest nucleus has real and accurate information about Jorge’s condition. Therefore, Any version, statement or information that does not come from the family itself and its channels should not be considered valid and truthful. In moments like this, we ask for responsibility, prudence and humanity. The health of a person and the tranquility of their surroundings should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media interest. by the family and the corresponding channels.”
