During the special television gala broadcast yesterday, Ana Obregón once again caused controversy after publicly defending Julio Iglesias, who faces accusations of sexual assault and abuse from several women.
In her statement, Obregón denied having witnessed anything that supported the accusations and **underscored her trust in the singer**, even going so far as to **question some of the accusers' accounts**. Her comments have been seen as a way of minimizing the victims and a serious lack of empathy.The reaction was swift. From the set of her show, María Patiño responded with strong and critical words, denouncing Obregón's stance:
"Losing a child is very painful, but having your daughter raped is also painful."
With that phrase, Patiño emphasized that the suffering of victims of sexual violence cannot be relativized or substituted by the automatic defense of a public figure due to their popularity or personal relationshipFurthermore, Patiño reminded Obregón of the context of her past involvement with **Jeffrey Epstein**, pointing out that the actress had even described him positively in a book, even though Epstein had already been convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution. At one point during her statement, Patiño delivered another direct message:
"I am sure you were never a witness to Epstein's atrocities… Don't be ignorant."
Patiño's response has generated an intense debate on X and other networks, with many users supporting her criticism and pointing out that public figures must choose their words more carefully when speaking about cases of sexual abuse and violence. Others, however, have defended Obregón's freedom of expression.
The case of Julio Iglesias continues to be in the media spotlight, and with these statements from Ana Obregón, the discussion about how abuse accusations are addressed in entertainment and public opinion spaces has been revived.