Lesbophobia in Santiago: arrest warrant for Carolina's attackers

Carolina's attackers—who remains hospitalized after the hate crime—have been identified. They had previously harassed and insulted the victim because of her sexual orientation.

By Airam Fernández, from Santiago, Chile

The First Guarantee Court of Santiago issued an arrest warrant for the alleged attackers of Carolina Torres, the young lesbian woman who remains in intensive care at the former Posta Central hospital in the Chilean capital. She has been hospitalized since February 14, after being the victim of a hate crime in the street .

Based on testimonies from the young woman's partner and other witnesses to the attack, the Prosecutor's Office reported that the Justice Department identified brothers Miguel and Reinaldo Cortés Arancibia as the main suspects. Both have criminal records for robbery and could be charged with attempted murder.

READ MORE: Lesbophobia: Young woman in serious condition after hate attack in the street 

The victim's mother, Marianela Urbina, told Presentes that, on previous occasions, they had already harassed and insulted her daughter because of her sexual orientation.

A video broadcast by Chilevisión on Sunday night contributed to the investigation. It was captured by a security camera at the exact moment the attack occurred.

How is Carolina doing?

Since being hospitalized, Torres has only been awake a few times. When she first opened her eyes, the first thing she did was call for her mother. “She vaguely remembers what happened and can’t speak much. She’s in a lot of pain,” Urbina told Presentes.

Patricia Méndez, director of the Central Metropolitan Health Service, confirmed from the hospital that Torres “is sedated to respond better to therapy” and that for now she has no complications that require surgery.

“He is stable and out of danger of death,” he said. However, he added that his condition could change suddenly due to the hematoma in his brain. “That’s why we need to be constantly vigilant,” he added.

The government's response

The attack on the young lesbian has sparked widespread reactions and compelled the government to issue a statement. President Sebastián Piñera and several of his ministers condemned the attack via Twitter. Emardo Hantelmann , Undersecretary of the Ministry General Secretariat of Government, affirmed the Executive branch's commitment to improving the Anti-Discrimination Law, better known as the "Zamudio Law," enacted in 2012 following the death of Daniel Zamudio, a victim of a homophobic attack.

Hantelmann announced that a second public consultation on discrimination will be held to explore potential modifications to the law. "We are going to develop a proposal that reflects the reality of our country and allows us to continue moving forward together toward a more inclusive, supportive, comprehensive, and just Chile," he told the press.

To demand justice, several organizations called for a new protest today at 7 p.m. at the Pudahuel Metro station. “ Lesbian feminists are on alert and in self-defense ,” said the Lesbian Group Breaking the Silence.

 

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