Ecuador - September 2022

President Lasso asks for Interior Minister’s resignation over femicide case in which police officer is main suspect

Women’s protests against gender-based violence took place in the aftermath of the femicide of lawyer Maria Belen Bernal, whose police officer husband is currently the main suspect. So far in 2022, 206 women have been victims of femicide in Ecuador.

In the aftermath of such femicide, and because it is believed that the alleged perpetrator fled justice due to negligence within the police, the Interior Minister was replaced and high-ranking members of the police have been asked to resign.

Sources: El Tiempo, MercoPress (1), MercoPress (2)