Abril Duhalde, Miss Universe Argentina Contestant, Reports Taxi Driver Assault in Mar del Plata

Abril Duhalde, a 23-year-old model and influencer, has publicly accused a taxi driver in Mar del Plata, Argentina, of assault and verbal abuse. Duhalde, who was chosen to represent Buenos Aires in the Miss Universe Argentina 2026 finals, shared a video of the incident on social media, detailing the aggressive encounter.

According to Duhalde's account, the incident occurred during a short taxi ride from the Mar del Plata bus terminal to her hotel. She stated that upon arriving at the terminal, she was warned by others about potential aggression from local taxi drivers towards ride-sharing service drivers. Despite this, she opted for a taxi but soon found herself the target of the driver's hostility.

Duhalde alleges that the taxi driver, identified as Julio Alberto Duhau, insulted her, threw her luggage, and physically pushed her. She believes the aggression stemmed from discrimination against her as a "porteña," a term for someone from Buenos Aires. The young woman, who has over 18 years of experience in the fashion industry since starting at age 8, is also a fashion design graduate and image consultant.

In addition to her modeling career, Duhalde has appeared on national television and launched her own women's clothing brand, Rebel Heart, in 2016. She is also the grandniece of former Argentine President Eduardo Duhalde. Following the alleged assault, Duhalde has filed a criminal complaint against the taxi driver.