The disclosure comes amid broader backstage friction involving cast members, sparked by Ethel Pozo declaring she does not miss her former colleagues.
Backstage tensions on Peruvian morning television spilled into public view as long-standing friction among current and former personalities of the magazine América Hoy came to a head. What began as an inquiry into personal relationships quickly unraveled into a deeper conversation about toxic workplace dynamics, emotional toll, and fractured television alliances.
Belén Estévez Details Alleged Mistreatment and Emotional Toll
Dancer and media personality Belén Estévez broke her silence regarding her prolonged absence from the morning program, explicitly pointing the finger at host Janet Barboza. According to Estévez, visiting the set became untenable due to an unwelcoming atmosphere.
Hace un montoÌ n de tiempo que no voy al programa por decisioÌ n propia, creo que desde la mitad del año pasado. Belén Estévez, via Trome
When asked directly about her experiences behind the scenes, Estévez admitted that she frequently left the set in tears. She pointed to Janet Barboza as being particularly incisive during her appearances. Prior tensions had already strained Estévez’s relationship with the production; earlier in 2024, when the magazine sought her comments on her former partner Waldir Felipa’s relationship with Daniela Darcourt, the dancer abruptly cut off a reporter, stating she was fully occupied with her work in pastry arts and disconnected from television news.
Ethel Pozo Cuts Ties and Declares She Does Not Miss Her Former Colleagues
The friction extended beyond Estévez’s revelations when former host Ethel Pozo addressed her departure from the same morning show during an appearance on the podcast ‘Sin + Que Decir’. Pressed repeatedly by hosts about whether she missed her former co-workers Janet Barboza and Edson Dávila, Pozo offered a blunt and unvarnished response.
Ethel Pozo stated that given the circumstances and everything that happened, she does not miss them. Ethel Pozo, via Diario de Actualidad
Pozo made it clear that she does not harbor nostalgia for her former workplace, attributing her stance to how things ended. She noted that she had expected a different reaction from her colleagues after revealing that both Barboza and Dávila were aware of her exit plans yet failed to acknowledge it to her directly. While acknowledging that she maintains pleasant memories of the broader team, she firmly shut the door on any immediate reconciliation.
Rebeca Escribens Defends Her Workplace Stance Amid Criticism
As the public debate widened, television host Rebeca Escribens found herself defending her own stance on the program after Ethel Pozo suggested Escribens was blinded in her support of Janet Barboza. In a detailed interview with journalist Verónica Linares, Escribens rejected the notion that she was taking sides in the ongoing feud.
Rebeca Escribens expressed that she is merely sharing her experience up to that date regarding what it is like to work with Janet, with Edson, and with the production of América Hoy in general, noting that they have treated her very well so far and she feels comfortable. Rebeca Escribens, via Infobae
Escribens emphasized that her commentary is strictly tied to her personal, day-to-day interactions on set rather than involvement in internal disputes. Dismissing suggestions that she was blind to underlying tensions, she noted, Sé perfectamente qué terreno piso.
She likened public airing of grievances to washing dirty laundry in public, maintaining that third-party opinions only complicate matters further.
The Outlook for Peru’s Morning Television Ecosystem
The intersecting controversies highlight the volatile nature of daily television sets in Peru, where personal boundaries, off-screen alliances, and public declarations frequently collide. While figures like Escribens prioritize a functional, harmonious environment to get through their daily routines, departures and public testimonies from Estévez and Pozo demonstrate that the emotional cost of working within these high-pressure formats often lingers long after the cameras stop rolling.
