Latin American nations address gender-based violence through legal reforms and rulings

Legislative and judicial developments regarding gender-based violence are emerging across Latin America. In Mexico, Deputy Felipe Miguel Delgado Carrillo is promoting an initiative to classify child femicide as a specific crime. The proposal seeks to impose prison sentences of 60 to 80 years and prohibits any benefits such as early release or amnesty. The initiative aims to reform the Federal Penal Code and the General Law of Victims to ensure specialized protection for minors.

In Argentina, there is growing pressure to pass the ‘Joaquín Law’ to address vicarious violence, a modality where aggressors target women through their children. This movement follows the anniversary of the death of eight-year-old Joaquín Ruffo. Additionally, a court in San Luis recently ruled on a case of vicarious violence, ordering a parent to pay damages and undergo gender training after attempting to use false allegations of abuse to harm the mother.

In Panama, the judicial system has delivered a guilty verdict against Bosco Bolívar Barrera for the femicide of educator Doris Franco. The ruling comes amid broader concerns regarding domestic violence statistics, which show a significant number of reported cases and a continuous need for institutional support and prevention strategies.