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 two 20-year-olds, Morena Verdi and Brenda del Castillo, were livestreamed on social media. Police suspect a drug-trafficking gang was involved, using the heinous act as a warning to others.
As of Friday, authorities had arrested five suspects - three men and two women - but the gang's leader, a 20-year-old Peruvian man, is still at large, according to National Security Minister Patricia Bullrich.
Investigators revealed that the victims were lured into a van under the false pretext of going to a party on September 19, and the crime was part of a plan to 'punish' them for violating gang rules.
Police uncovered video evidence of the gang leader asserting, This is what happens to those who steal drugs from me. The bodies of the victims were discovered five days later, buried in a backyard in a southern suburb of Buenos Aires.
During a protest march to Parliament, grieving families expressed their heartache and rage, highlighting the urgency for stronger protections for women in Argentina. One woman is reportedly killed by a man every 36 hours in the country, amplifying the demand for justice amidst an ongoing crisis of violence against women.
