A passing remark from The Eternaut star Ricardo Darín about the high price of empanadas — Argentina’s most common takeout food — has drawn howls from top government officials, including President Javier Milei, along with the vitriol of their online supporters.

The spat began last Saturday when Darín appeared on television personality Mirtha Legrand’s longrunning dinner-and-talk show, La Noche de Mirtha. During the program, the actor questioned some of the government’s economic policies, including the more recent initiative to bring undeclared money, commonly referred to as  “dollars under the mattress,” into the financial system. 

“Most mattresses are severely eaten by moths,” the actor quipped.

“I don’t understand who they’re talking about,” he added, suggesting these kinds of policies are divorced from people’s everyday reality. Darin then went one step further, pointing out that, “a dozen empanadas costs 48,000 pesos.”  

Legrand echoed his opinion, noting that “prices are terrible.”

The following day, Economy Minister Luis Caputo erupted during an interview with the LN+ network, calling the actor’s statements “an embarrassment” and accusing him of “trying to look like a man of the people.”

Caputo likewise dismissed the notion that empanada prices were climbing, calling such cases exceptional. 

“It’s perfectly fine that he can afford empanadas in more expensive locales,” he said. “But they don’t cost that much, Ricardito. It’s like going to a Porsche dealership tomorrow and then telling Mirtha that cars cost US$200,000.”

Caputo also attempted to make light of the situation, pointing out that “people eat delicious empanadas for 16,000 pesos” and that he was “glad [Darín] could enjoy the more expensive ones.” 

Darín then responded to Caputo’s remarks, calling for civility and emphasizing that “we are in a democracy and must keep our good manners.” The actor also lamented the minister’s tone, which he described as “rather derogatory for a public official.”

“I don’t understand why he called me Ricardito,” he continued. “[Caputo] said my remark was ‘a stupid thing,’ so I guess he is calling me stupid.”

“He should know better,” Darín added. 

Over the weekend, pro-government accounts flooded social media with attacks on the Argentine film star, several of which President Milei shared and reposted through his X and Instagram accounts. These included an AI-generated image of the actor holding a golden empanada.

Darín emphasized that his original criticism was not directed at the government, and that he was simply acknowledging the country’s economic hardship. 

“Prices are high, people know that,” he said. “This has nothing to do with speaking ill of the government or Mr. Caputo; it’s simply what we see every day.”

Darín also addressed the online harassment he’s received, which he cited as proof that people are really angry. “They accuse me of things I’m not,” he said. “But if you start to be afraid to say what you think, if you stay silent, that’s not right. We’re living in a democracy.”

With information from Ámbito.com