Argentine journalist says coronavirus was created by rich Americans and Israelis

An Argentine journalist apologised after saying  that the coronavirus was created by rich Americans and Israelis during a prime-time news program.

Tomás Méndez, host of the popular ADN Tv, said on Wednesday that “bats are not responsible for the coronavirus, humans are.”

Those humans, he said, are “the richest of the world, some born in the United States, others in Israel and another in Europe,” who “are the owners of your life, who created this virus.” He singled out the Rothschild family, who often appear in antisemitic conspiracy theories, and Bill Gates.

His comments triggered harsh criticism.

“Linking the Jewish community to economic power and conspiracies shows a clear antisemitic matrix of behaviour,” the National Institute Against Xenophobia and Racism, or INADI, said in a statement on Twitter.

Mendez made “a stupid statement that only an antisemite can formulate. The association of power, tragedy and responsibility of the powerful in them is old and by including Israel in it, we know what he is talking about,” the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Agencies said in a statement.

On Thursday, Mendez apologised during the program: “I want to apologise to the Jewish people if they felt offended yesterday and yes, they felt that way.”