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 Morena Verdi and Brenda del Castillo, who were both 20, were livestreamed on social media.
Police believe a drug-trafficking gang was responsible, and that the crime was broadcast as a warning to others. They had arrested five suspects - three men and two women - as of Friday, according to National Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, but a 20-year-old Peruvian man they say is the group's leader remains at large.
The victims were lured into a van believing they were headed for a party on 19 September, according to investigators. Authorities stated that this was part of a plan to punish the girl and young women for violating gang code, serving as a warning to others.
One of the detainees revealed a video of the incident under questioning, with a gang leader heard stating: This is what happens to those who steal drugs from me.
The bodies of the three victims were found buried at a property in a southern suburb of Buenos Aires on Wednesday, five days after they went missing. In Buenos Aires, relatives of the victims joined a march to Parliament on Saturday demanding justice for the women and girl.
Women must be protected more than ever, Brenda's father, Leonel del Castillo, told reporters at the protest. He had earlier described the impossibility of identifying his daughter's body due to the abuse inflicted on her.
Antonio del Castillo, grandfather of the 20-year-old cousins, was in tears, calling the killers bloodthirsty, adding that the brutality inflicted on them was unthinkable even for animals.
According to a femicide monitoring group, one woman is killed by a man every 36 hours in Argentina, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced protection and justice for women.
The brutal killings of 15-year-old Lara Gutierrez, and Morena Verdi and Brenda del Castillo, who were both 20, were livestreamed on social media.
Police believe a drug-trafficking gang was responsible, and that the crime was broadcast as a warning to others. They had arrested five suspects - three men and two women - as of Friday, according to National Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, but a 20-year-old Peruvian man they say is the group's leader remains at large.
The victims were lured into a van believing they were headed for a party on 19 September, according to investigators. Authorities stated that this was part of a plan to punish the girl and young women for violating gang code, serving as a warning to others.
One of the detainees revealed a video of the incident under questioning, with a gang leader heard stating: This is what happens to those who steal drugs from me.
The bodies of the three victims were found buried at a property in a southern suburb of Buenos Aires on Wednesday, five days after they went missing. In Buenos Aires, relatives of the victims joined a march to Parliament on Saturday demanding justice for the women and girl.
Women must be protected more than ever, Brenda's father, Leonel del Castillo, told reporters at the protest. He had earlier described the impossibility of identifying his daughter's body due to the abuse inflicted on her.
Antonio del Castillo, grandfather of the 20-year-old cousins, was in tears, calling the killers bloodthirsty, adding that the brutality inflicted on them was unthinkable even for animals.
According to a femicide monitoring group, one woman is killed by a man every 36 hours in Argentina, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced protection and justice for women.
