Bolivia prosecutor reports 48 femicides so far this year

Bolivia has recorded 48 femicides nationwide as of July 16, according to the General Prosecutor's Office. The most recent case involved a 37-year-old woman in Potosí who died from stab wounds inflicted by her 32-year-old partner after an argument.

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The case most recently occurred in the city of Potosí, where the victim died on Thursday after a discussion with her partner, a 32-year-old man, who allegedly wounded her with a knife in the leg.

The victim died at home after her alleged assailant took her to a hospital and then left. The man has been arrested as investigations continue. La Paz registered the highest number of femicides with 17 cases, followed by Santa Cruz with nine, and Cochabamba with eight.

Since the implementation of the Law for Guaranteeing Women a Life Free of Violence in 2013, the Prosecutor's Office has received 19,541 complaints related to the law. This legislation mandates a 30-year prison sentence without parole for femicide, the maximum penalty in Bolivia.

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the man was apprehended and investigations continue to clarify this event.

However, feminist organizations argue that the law is not fully enforced due to a lack of resources and adequate personnel. In 2024, a proposal by some lawmakers to reform the law, deeming it "anti-men," was met with strong opposition from activists who warned of a disinformation campaign against it.

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the law is not fully complied with due to shortcomings such as lack of budget and adequate personnel to address these events.