Thousands of people have taken part in an anti-femicide protest in Buenos Aires, demanding justice for a girl and two young women who were tortured and murdered in a crime that has shocked Argentina. The brutal killings of 15-year-old Lara Gutierrez and 20-year-olds Morena Verdi and Brenda del Castillo, were livestreamed on social media. Police believe a drug-trafficking gang was responsible, and that the crime was broadcast as a warning to others.
As of Friday, police had arrested five suspects - three men and two women - while a 20-year-old Peruvian man, identified as the group's leader, remains at large. According to investigators, the victims were lured into a van under the pretense of going to a party on September 19. This was reportedly part of a plot to 'punish' the young women for violating gang rules.
Authorities discovered a video after one of the detainees revealed it under questioning. In this video, a gang leader is heard stating, 'This is what happens to those who steal drugs from me.' The bodies of the three victims were discovered buried in the yard of a house in a southern suburb of Buenos Aires five days after they went missing.
Relatives of the victims have joined the protests, with Brenda's father, Leonel del Castillo, emphasizing the urgent need for women's protection. 'Women must be protected more than ever,' he said. The situation highlights a severe issue in Argentina, where a woman is killed by a man every 36 hours, according to femicide monitoring groups.
As of Friday, police had arrested five suspects - three men and two women - while a 20-year-old Peruvian man, identified as the group's leader, remains at large. According to investigators, the victims were lured into a van under the pretense of going to a party on September 19. This was reportedly part of a plot to 'punish' the young women for violating gang rules.
Authorities discovered a video after one of the detainees revealed it under questioning. In this video, a gang leader is heard stating, 'This is what happens to those who steal drugs from me.' The bodies of the three victims were discovered buried in the yard of a house in a southern suburb of Buenos Aires five days after they went missing.
Relatives of the victims have joined the protests, with Brenda's father, Leonel del Castillo, emphasizing the urgent need for women's protection. 'Women must be protected more than ever,' he said. The situation highlights a severe issue in Argentina, where a woman is killed by a man every 36 hours, according to femicide monitoring groups.
