Molotov horror in Buenos Aires: Lesbian community demands justice

A tragic crime occurred in Buenos Aires. A Molotov cocktail was thrown into one of the hotel rooms. Four women were inside; only one survived. In a gesture of protest, demonstrations took place in the capital of Argentina. "They were set on fire for being poor lesbians," activists claim.

Last week, over 200 protesters gathered in front of Plaza Colombia in the capital of Argentina. Two streets away is a modest family-run hotel where the tragedy occurred.

Flowers and candles were placed in front of the hotel. The murder has caused outrage and fear within the LGBTQI+ community in Argentina. Its members demand justice and warn of an increase in hate speech.

According to witnesses, early on Monday, May 6, a man threw a bottle full of flammable liquid into room number 14 and set it on fire. Four women were inside.

In the room were 52-year-old Pamela Cobbas and her 52-year-old partner Mercedes Roxana Figueroa. Also present were 42-year-old Andra Amarante and her 49-year-old partner, Sofía Castro Riglos.

Cobbas died a few hours after the attack. Two days later, Figueroa died due to burns covering 90 per cent of her body. Despite the doctors' efforts, Amarante could not be saved either, and she died on Sunday. The only victim who survived the Molotov cocktail attack was Castro Riglos. Her life is not in danger. The woman has already testified in court.

"They were set on fire for being lesbians. They were set on fire for being poor lesbians. They were set on fire for being poor lesbians creating a community," said a member of the local neighbourhood association during last week's protest. According to their reports, the women lived in poor conditions. They paid about £42 for a shared room without a bathroom.

The main suspect is Justo Fernando Barrientos, a 67-year-old man who rented a room near the women's apartment.

Other residents testified that the victims' screams woke them during the night. When they saw the women’s bodies burning, they tried to extinguish the flames with a fire extinguisher. Since that didn't help, they took them to the nearest shower. The fire spread to the rest of the building, necessitating the evacuation of about 30 people.

Barrientos was detained after attempting to commit suicide. He was taken to the hospital and arrested upon release. He has not yet testified in court. The judiciary is trying to determine whether the man can be held accountable for the crime or if his mental state prevents this.

Organizations defending human rights, such as Amnesty International, emphasize that crimes committed against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, and intersex individuals are hate crimes.

"They are motivated by hatred towards the sexual orientation of the victims, who belong to a group that is structurally violated and discriminated against," says Amnesty International in a statement, demanding a full investigation.

The Argentine Fundación Huesped emphasizes that "statements that deny the consequences of attacks on people from the LGBTQI+ community enable and promote impunity that accepts violence in all its forms, including that which threatens life."