The fight between Zulemita Menem and the libertarian influencer Daniel “El Gordo Dan” Parisini, who began the year on social networks due to his controversial comments about Islam, ended up bringing to light a lesser-known story: Dan’s own political journey and the hand that, according to the former president’s daughter, he received in the beginning.
The controversy erupted at the end of December, when Dan published a series of tweets strongly critical of Islam, calling that religion incompatible with “Western values” and even linking it to cultural problems. This unleashed a harsh confrontation with Zulemita, who from her
“We have known each other for many years, since those beginnings on Twitter, when you and Agustín Romo began to get involved in the exciting world of politics, and I collaborated by bringing you closer to leaders and spaces,” wrote Zulemita Menem in a lengthy public letter. Beyond the claim regarding religious comments, her message sought to underline that, in the past, she herself had introduced him into circles that helped him take his first political steps.
Zulemita’s memory was not merely anecdotal: she mentioned that she even allowed the use of phrases linked to her father—such as “I’m not going to let you down” or “up to the stratosphere”—on campaign t-shirts, as part of that initial support. It was a gesture that today, in the face of the online fight, was translated into a phrase that many interpreted as a reproach: “Ungrateful, have you already forgotten when I gave you a hand?”
The crossing did not remain an anecdote. Zulemita’s defense of Islam also included an explicit criticism of the generalization of stereotypes and the need for respect towards different religious denominations in Argentina. His position also generated reactions within the ruling party itself, where figures with Muslim origins responded to the debate, emphasizing that religious coexistence in the political space is broader than some controversial phrases suggest.
In short, what began as a discussion about religion ended up reviving an old story of political help that Zulemita Menem did not hesitate to bring up, revealing internal tensions that go beyond an exchange of tweets.
