Edgardo Aló fights for justice after his daughter Carolina was murdered in 1996. His advocacy led to femicide being recognized legally in Argentina, but recent proposals from President Javier Milei threaten these crucial protections. With alarming rates of femicide still present, experts warn of increased risk to women if these proposed changes are implemented. Aló continues to honor his daughter’s memory while advocating for robust protections against gender-based violence.
Edgardo Aló has been advocating for change in Argentina’s laws regarding femicide since his daughter Carolina was brutally murdered in 1996. Carolina, just days shy of her 18th birthday, was stabbed 113 times by her boyfriend. This horrific crime prompted Edgardo to tirelessly campaign for justice, leading to significant legal reforms in 2012 that classified femicide as an aggravating factor in homicide cases. However, recent government proposals under President Javier Milei threaten to reverse these crucial advancements in women’s rights.
Carolina’s tragic death marked the beginning of Edgardo’s fight for justice, as he sought to see harsher penalties for crimes against women. Despite the 24-year sentence ultimately imposed on her murderer, Edgardo felt it failed to account for the brutality of the crime. His advocacy played a vital role in the effort to amend Argentina’s penal code to address femicide more effectively, distinguishing it from other homicides.
On January 24, Minister of Justice Mariano Cúneo Libarona announced intentions to eliminate the legal recognition of femicide, claiming it distorts the concept of equality. This announcement followed President Milei’s controversial remarks at the World Economic Forum, where he criticized the classification of femicide, arguing it unjustly elevates the severity of crimes against women based solely on their sex.
Critics of the Milei administration warn that this move undermines essential protections for women, particularly when femicide often occurs within intimate relationships marked by violence and contempt. According to experts, without recognizing the context in which femicide occurs, policies aimed at protecting women will be ineffective. Alarming statistics reveal that from January to November of this year, there were 252 reported femicides in Argentina, with a majority of perpetrators being intimate partners.
In Edgardo’s case, he expressed outrage over the leniency of sentences for gender-based violence, which, before the reforms, ranged from eight to twenty-five years. In his view, such sentences failed to reflect the horror of his daughter’s murder. Following significant advocacy efforts, the change to the penal code in 2012 marked a bittersweet victory, but current governmental actions are threatening to undo these achievements.
Under the Milei government, support programs for victims of gender-based violence have been weakened. The duration of critical aid has been slashed from six months to three, and new requirements for police involvement may deter victims from seeking help. Advocacy groups argue that these changes reflect a troubling misunderstanding of the state’s obligations to protect women.
Additionally, Carolina’s murderer, Fabián Tablado, has been released with an electronic monitoring device, stirring fear in Edgardo who continues to live with a panic alarm. Despite seeking justice over the decades, Edgardo maintains a memorial for Carolina, highlighting the ongoing tragedy of her loss and the necessity of strengthening protections against gender-based violence in Argentina.
The ongoing struggle against femicide in Argentina has deep roots, stemming from tragic personal narratives like that of Edgardo Aló, whose daughter was brutally murdered in 1996. This incident spurred a legislative movement aimed at addressing the issue of gender-based violence in the legal system, culminating in the 2012 revision of the penal code. However, the recent political shift under President Javier Milei poses significant dangers to this progress, leading many activists and survivors to fear a regression in women’s rights and protections.
The fight against femicide in Argentina underscores the critical need for protective legal frameworks for women. Edgardo Aló’s relentless advocacy reflects the deep personal and societal stakes involved. With recent government movements threatening hard-won progress, there is an urgent call for continued activism and comprehensive understanding of femicide’s unique context. Ensuring justice and safety for women requires unwavering commitment to legislative recognition and support against gender-based violence.
Original Source: edition.cnn.com
