Luz Marina Benavides, 63 years old, is the new victim of sexist violence in Nicaragua. The woman surrendered to death on the night of this Tuesday, May 9, after being stabbed in her home by a subject identified as Santos Ismael Medina Rivera, 29 years old.
The crime occurred in the Gilberto Romero neighborhood, located in the municipality of Siuna, in the North Caribbean. According to the National Police, the man, in a drunken state, argued with Benavides, and then attacked her with a knife. The victim died when she was transferred to the local Carlos Centeno hospital.
Santos Ismael Medina managed to flee the scene of the crime, however, a few hours later the police officers captured him, occupying him a knife with blood stains, used to commit the crime.
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The body of Luz Marina Benavides was examined by a forensic doctor from the Mining Triangle, who determined that the victim died from hypovolemic shock caused by the stab wound.
In addition, the Police interviewed the witnesses, who recognized Santos Ismael Medina Rivera as the perpetrator of the crime, so together with the evidence will be placed at the disposal of the competent authorities.
The victim had three children who did not live with her, and at home she was accompanied by a girl with special abilities, who has been left homeless, since Luz Benavides took care of her.
wave of femicides
In the first four months of 2023, the Observatorio Voces, from the feminist organization Catholics for the Right to Decide (CDD), has registered that at least 37 women have been victims of sexist violence.
Feminist activists and defenders of women’s rights have pointed out that the Caribbean region of the country is currently “a red alert zone for women and girls, because the frequency and prevalence of violence and femicides is daily.”
They also alleged that the wave of violence in the country, mainly in the North Caribbeanis due to the lack of protection that women face by the Nicaraguan State.
«The levels of lack of protection that there are on the Caribbean Coast are enormous, there for women to access justice or be treated in situations of violence, they have to go through many obstacles and as institutions, they are not attending specifically and specialized the violence,” they said.
