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Letters to the Editor: Take Action Against Femicides; The Cart and the Horse, Discrimination
🇦🇷 Argentina /Culture & Society

Letters to the Editor: Take Action Against Femicides; The Cart and the Horse, Discrimination

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Opinion Sources not specified Context piece
  • The article calls for men to actively combat gender-based violence, noting that one woman is murdered every 31 hours in Argentina.
  • It urges men to reflect on their role and speak out against violence, emphasizing that inaction is also a choice.
  • A separate letter criticizes the low public prioritization of education, warning of consequences for national development, while another points to discrimination in judicial appointments.

In Argentina, a woman is murdered every 31 hours due to gender-based violence, a stark reality that demands immediate action from men. The author of one letter directly addresses grandfathers, fathers, uncles, brothers, friends, sons, and nephews, urging them to reflect on their feelings and how they can actively participate in transforming this situation. The message emphasizes the need for men to speak from their humanity and vulnerability, to break their silence, and to intervene in everyday life.

In our country a woman is murdered for gender reasons, on average, every 31 hours.

— Paula CullaréHighlighting the frequency of femicides in Argentina.

The call is for men to move beyond simply stating "I am not like that" and to engage in concrete actions. This includes participating in marches, joining conversations, and challenging normalized forms of violence. Leaders, executives, officials, companies, and organizations are also urged to commit to education, training, prevention, and visibility efforts. The letter suggests a visible counter, similar to World Cup countdown clocks, to track femicide deaths, arguing that visibility is a crucial step toward action and collective responsibility.

We need men who dare to speak from their humanity and vulnerability, even from discomfort. Men who do not remain silent. Men who accompany, question, intervene, and commit.

— Paula CullaréUrging men to actively engage in combating gender-based violence.

A separate letter expresses grave concern over only 5% of the population believing education is the country's most important issue. The author argues that this widespread disregard for education undermines the foundational work of figures like Sarmiento and hinders the nation's progress. Without adequate education, citizens lack the basis to continue development, leading to a nation that is fiscally balanced but ignorant, with the "horse" of progress always ahead of the "cart" of learning.

Because inaction is also a decision.

— Paula CullaréEmphasizing the responsibility of men who do not act against violence.

Finally, another reader points to perceived discrimination within the Senate's appointment process for a candidate judge, Dra. Verónica Michelli. The discussion surrounding her candidacy, reportedly due to her being related to a journalist, suggests that discrimination based on family name or connections persists in professional appointments.

Because visibility is taking action. And taking action is a collective responsibility, where both men and women can change reality.

— Paula CullaréConnecting visibility of the issue to the necessity of collective action.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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