Ladies throughout Latin America march towards violence in day of protests By Reuters

By Sarah Morland

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – From Buenos Aires to Bogota, ladies throughout Latin America took to the streets on Friday in marches to mark the Worldwide Day for the Elimination of Violence towards Ladies, demanding extra motion from authorities.

In Mexico Metropolis, feminist associations marched down Reforma Avenue, one of many capital’s most important arteries, chanting with loudspeakers and smoke flares, flanked by tons of of police with riot shields and protecting vests.

Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, who’s hoping to turn out to be the nation’s first feminine president in 2024, had earlier this week referred to as for a peaceable protest, however some cautious activists arrived with helmets and goggles in case of tear fuel.

Victims of rape and moms of ladies and ladies killed throughout Mexico took to loudspeakers to demand an finish to gender violence and higher felony investigations for his or her family members.

In response to authorities information, some 20 ladies are killed every day although few circumstances lead to sentences.

“We is not going to be silenced,” mentioned Lorena Gutierrez, whose 12-year previous daughter was a sufferer of femicide. “Ladies and ladies are nonetheless disappearing all throughout the nation.”

Honduras suffers the area’s highest fee of femicides, adopted by the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Bolivia and Brazil, in line with a brand new U.N. report.

“Our obligation is to redouble efforts in order that the ladies and ladies of our area can actually train their proper to reside a life freed from violence and discrimination,” Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs of the U.N.’s regional financial physique mentioned.

In October, 80 ladies in Mexico have been killed on account of their gender, in line with a Tuesday authorities report; the fourth consecutive month-to-month enhance. The federal government has drawn ire for making an attempt to downplay the dire state of affairs.

“We would like them to hear,” mentioned Jose Angel Trejo, whose daughter Melani was killed in August in Morelos, a state identified for prime charges of gender violence. He mentioned investigators weren’t answering his messages and the suspect continues to be free.

Trejo hopes his daughter’s case shall be transferred to federal authorities.

“Many circumstances of femicide we work with are being very badly investigated,” added Gabriela Castillo from the Federal Institute of Public Protection (IFDP), which helps victims and their households by authorized processes, saying she needed extra consciousness of the errors being made.

“We would like this violence to be seen to everybody,” she mentioned.