Peruvian television host Janet Barboza has denied asking executives or event organizers to exclude her former co-host Ethel Pozo from the Teleton 2026 charity broadcast. Barboza addressed the claims after Pozo publicly announced her departure from the annual television event and suggested that internal friction played a role in her removal.
Pozo, the daughter of veteran Peruvian television personality Gisela Valcárcel, revealed that her exit followed conversations in which she was told that network executives had requested her removal from the presenting lineup.
Responding in a public statement published on her Instagram stories, Barboza rejected any connection to the decision. She stated that she had never requested, suggested, or managed the removal or exclusion of any person from a workplace or event, adding that she lacks the authority to make decisions regarding broadcast talent.
Barboza also clarified that she had not taken part in any meetings, conversations, or decisions concerning who is invited or excluded from the event. She added that no network officials or event managers had consulted her on the matter, nor had she submitted any request concerning the lineup.
Addressing her own role in the broadcast, Barboza disclosed that her participation in Teleton 2026 has not yet been confirmed by organizers. She noted that attributing executive decisions about other presenters to her does not match the reality of the situation.
Allegations of network pressure and tension
The dispute began after Pozo released her own statement detailing the circumstances surrounding her exclusion from the upcoming edition of the telethon. According to Pozo, representatives informed her that executives from América Televisión had contacted Teleton organizers to state that she could not serve as a main anchor or presenter for the 2026 broadcast.
Pozo stated that she was told the decision was connected to comments she made about her former television station during her online streaming show. She added that representatives cited potential discomfort that her presence might create among remaining presenters on her former morning show.
Background on the presenters and the broadcast
Barboza, popularly known in Peruvian media by the nickname Rulitos, is a prominent television host who currently co-anchors América Hoy, a weekday morning magazine program produced for América Televisión. Pozo previously served as a lead presenter on the same morning show before her departure to independent streaming projects.
The annual Teleton in Peru is a nationwide televised charity event that brings together prominent media figures, performers, and broadcast networks to raise funds for the Saint John of God medical rehabilitation centers. América Televisión is one of the country's major commercial television networks and traditionally contributes production resources and network talent to the annual campaign.
