In an almost unprecedented step, the Jalisco government has issued a public apology for its omissions surrounding the demise of a 20-year-old woman beaten to death by her ex-partner in Tlajomulco six years ago, despite her having reported previous attacks and threats.
Alondra González Arias was killed in March 2017, ten days after giving birth to her daughter. A month earlier she had filed a complaint against her former partner, citing fears over her safety. She had received a restraining order but the measure was not communicated to the responsible authorities, so it was never acted upon.
In 2019, after intervention from the State Human Rights Commission (CEDHJ) and Amnesty International, the European Commission for Human Rights issued a recommendation calling on the Jalisco government to assume responsibility for Alondra’s femicide and provide financial compensation to her mother, daughter and son. The CEDHJ also issued a resolution demanding a public apology from state authorities for its negligence, in addition to some kind of memorial recognizing Alondra and other femicide victims. “It is important to remember who were the victims, who were the perpetrators and what was the responsibility of the state,” the resolution stated. “So that society is aware of these acts … so that they never happen again.”
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