Guatemalan women and girls protest skyrocketing cases of femicides

Guatemala City, February 18 (RHC)-- In Guatemala, dozens of girls and women carried out a bicycle caravan in Guatemala City, protesting skyrocketing violence against women, children and youth in the country.  The protesters rode their bikes to the Constitutional Plaza, lining up in front of the presidential palace, where they were met by police. 

Chants of “We just want to play in peace” echoed through the crowd of young girls.  Several other protesters shouted: "No more missing girls!  We demand justice!”

The protests erupted following the recent killing of 8-year-old Sharon Figueroa.  Her body was found last week in a northern region of Guatemala after she went missing for two days. 

In 2020 alone, nearly 500 femicides were reported in Guatemala, and at least 60 children were killed.