Argentina is in a state of shock and anger following the brutal murders of three young women, including a 15-year-old girl and two 20-year-olds. The victims, Lara Gutierrez, Morena Verdi, and Brenda del Castillo, were reportedly lured into a van on September 19th, believing they were heading to a party. However, authorities suspect they were targeted by a drug-trafficking gang as a grim warning to others, with the violent acts being livestreamed on social media.
Investigators revealed that the crime was allegedly orchestrated to “punish” the young women for violating gang codes. A video discovered after the arrest of one of the suspects reportedly captured a gang leader stating, “This is what happens to those who steal drugs from me.” A photograph of the alleged mastermind, a Peruvian national, has been released, and he remains at large.
The devastating discovery of the victims’ bodies, buried in the yard of a house in a southern suburb of Buenos Aires, occurred on Wednesday, five days after they were reported missing. The sheer brutality of the crimes has sent shockwaves across the nation.
In response to the tragedy, thousands of people gathered in Buenos Aires for an anti-femicide protest, demanding justice for the victims. Brenda’s father, Leonel del Castillo, expressed the community’s pain, stating, “Women must be protected more than ever.” He tearfully recounted the impossibility of identifying his daughter’s body due to the horrific abuse she endured. Antonio del Castillo, the grandfather of the two 20-year-old cousins, echoed this sentiment, calling the perpetrators “bloodthirsty” and emphasizing that such violence should not be inflicted even on animals.
Reports indicate that in Argentina, a woman is killed by a man every 36 hours, highlighting the pervasive issue of femicide that the country is grappling with.
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