“Wiesenthal Centre demanded that Cúneo be fired forthwith. Any media that retains this hatemonger will be deemed an associate to his incitement and co-responsible for the consequences.”

Buenos Aires and Paris, 22 May 2018

 “For the last week, Argentine News Channel Crónica granted prime time to Santiago Cúneo – a ‘journalist’ who dedicated his program to defaming the Jewish community and its leaders (DAIA), the State of Israel, women and the current government,” noted Dr. Shimon Samuels and Dr. Ariel Gelblung, respectively the Centre’s Director for International Relations and its Representative for Latin America.

Cúneo’s comments included:

- “We are building a gigantic majority to terminate these miserable rats, this pro-American and Israeli government.”

- “My greatest contempt is for you (Argentine President) Mauricio Macri, and absolute contempt for the band of delinquents that surround you, including the (Jewish) leaders of DAIA.”

- “...who the hell are you? Argentines of the Jewish religion or Israelis. Clarify this before we take off. Is it clear”... “So when this nice DAIA signs [a press release], say what the hell you are: an Argentine who professes the Jewish religion or an Israeli citizen who defends interests that are not those of the Argentine nation.”

“Cúneo spreads his hate through ferocious antisemitism by reviving a 1970s neo-Nazi libellous screed, ‘the Andean Plan’ conspiracy, to found a Jewish state in Patagonia and dehumanizes the Jewish leadership as ‘rats’ – the language of Nazism,” stressed Gelblung.

Samuels had demanded that “Crónica Television fire Cúneo forthwith... Any media that retains this hatemonger will be deemed an associate to his incitement and co-responsible for the consequences.”

Within hours of the Centre’s statement, the channel announced that Cúneo was dismissed, continuing, “the newscaster distorted information into a ‘bastard journalism’. Our editorial line is for respect to prevail.”
(link: www.infobae.com/politica/2018/05/18/finalmente-santiago-cuneo-se-fue-de-cronica-tv/)

In applauding Crónica’s decision, the Centre argued that, “Media is a weapon. Just as armed forces would fire a serviceman for misuse of his weapon, so news companies are responsible for the use and misuse of their air-waves... Crónica TV has shown it will not lend itself to transmit hate and violence.”