Many residents of Monterrey, Nuevo León, took to the streets yesterday to protest against a wave of femicides and to demand justice in the case of the abduction, presumed rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl.

One protest march was organized by the family of Ana Lizbeth Polina Ramírez and the civil organization Empowered Citizen (Ciudadano Empoderado).

The protesters wore white and marched on state government headquarters, their voices joined in a blunt demand: “Not one more, not a single girl more, not a single boy more.”

Pedro Alejo Rodríguez, leader of Empowered Citizen, accused local authorities of apathy and demanded the death sentence and chemical castration for rapists.

Mayra Cobos, a cousin of the young victim, explained that the girl’s mother is being kept under protection and out of the public eye due to threats against her.

She said Dulce Ramírez had been criticized in local media and in social media for not caring properly for her daughter, and threats that she too would die had followed.

Cobos also questioned why Ana Lizbeth’s attacker was receiving “privileged” treatment at the Topo Chico penal facility, where he remains in preventive custody while awaiting trial.

The man, identified only by his first name, Juan Fernando, was reported to have been placed in solitary confinement after he was threatened by other inmates.

A second march was organized by several feminist collectives, and their main complaint was against femicides in the state, including that of Ana Lizbeth.

They too accused the government of apathy.

Source: Vanguardia (sp)