Mexico shaken by the death of Debanhi Escobar

The discovery of the body of a young woman who was missing in the northern city of Monterrey generated commotion and protests this Friday in Mexico, in a paradigmatic case of the brutal violence experienced by women in the country. The body of 18-year-old Debanhi Escobar (missing since April 9) was found inside the water tank of a hotel on Thursday night, located on a highway in the suburbs of Monterrey, capital of the state of Nuevo León.

On Friday, April 22, feminist groups took to the streets of that city to demand justice for the death of the young woman.

Hundreds of women carried banners with legends such as “Nuevo León is feminicide” and “Enough of lies, enough of covering up. Justice!”

“What we all see cannot be hidden, I want them to see us, to pay more attention to us,” Valeria, who avoided giving her last name, told AFP during the demonstration.

The women made graffiti in the facilities of the Nuevo León prosecutor’s office that said “For Debanhi, for all of them, not one more” and “Feminicides. They are killing us.”

Debanhi was last seen at dawn on a highway after getting off an app-affiliated cab due to an apparent disagreement with the driver.

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More than 300 missing women in Nuevo León

The case became paradigmatic due to the increase in the number of disappeared women in Nuevo León. So far this year there are reports of 327 missing women in the state, according to official figures.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressed his sorrow for the incident to the press and offered the case to be investigated by the attorney general’s office.

“We are expressing our desire to clarify what happened and, without advancing trials, help in the investigation, if requested by the government of Nuevo León,” said the president.

The case sparked outrage in Mexico, where violence against women has increased in recent years, with an average of 10 murdered a day, according to official figures.

Amnesty International demanded that Mexican authorities don’t let Escobar’s death go unpunished.

“Mexican authorities continue to commit deficiencies that violate women’s right to a life free of violence,” the organization said.

By: AFP

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