Venezuelans protest femicide after three women killed

ACARIGUA, Venezuela: Hundreds of Venezuelans protested on Saturday following the murders of three young women last week, in a rally against femicide in the South American nation.

Human rights activists have warned that the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened gender-related violence globally, with independent online initiative Monitor de Femicidios estimating there were 256 femicides in Venezuela last year, compared to 167 in 2019.

Roughly 300 people gathered in the northern city of Acarigua, many holding balloons with the phrase “Not one more”, while others rallied in the capital Caracas. “We are afraid,” 22-year-old psychology student Ariadna Gonzalez told AFP, holding up a banner with the message: “Being alive should not be an achievement.”

Last week two women were murdered in Turen, a town near Acarigua. Eliannys Martinez, 17, was killed February 21 after leaving her church and 20-year-old Eduarlis Falcon was murdered en route to her gym a day after.

Both women’s bodies bore signs of sexual violence, local media reported. On Saturday, Attorney General Tarek William Saab said authorities had arrested Nelson Saavedra, with officials believing him to be “responsible for the heinous outrage and serial homicide” of the two women.

Saavedra had reportedly confessed after being turned in by his wife and will be charged with femicide aggravated by sexual violence, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison in Venezuela, Saab said.