Women Demand Justice in Quito After Student and Activist Found Dead

In Quito, Ecuador, hundreds of women took to the streets Wednesday to demand justice following the recent deaths of university student Nathaly Mafla and Polish activist Monika Silva. The protesters gathered at a memorial adorned with photographs, drawings, flowers, and candles, lighting flames in silence while chanting feminist slogans and songs.

"More than celebrating, what we seek is to remember and raise our voices about it," explained Anahí Ganan, a member of the Tremendas Ecuador collective, one of the organizing groups. Ganan emphasized that these cases are not isolated incidents but part of a larger problem affecting women across the country. The memorial was organized in response to the deaths of Mafla and Silva.

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More than celebrating, what we seek is to remember and raise our voices about it.

Amy Soto, from the Ciudadanas del Mundo Foundation, stated that the mobilization also aimed to denounce the insufficient protection measures for women. "We have realized that the state and its inefficiency are not protecting us, that there are very few guarantees of protection and security for girls, adolescents, and women in society," Soto asserted. The concentration grew throughout the afternoon, attracting hundreds of students from the National Polytechnic University, where Mafla studied.

The marchers carried banners and purple flags, many wearing purple clothing. The event was marked by chants against gender-based violence and calls for justice for the victims. As the memorial concluded, protesters moved through nearby streets, temporarily blocking traffic while advocating for women's rights. Nathaly Mafla, 20, was last seen on June 4 and her body was found on Monday in a ravine in northern Quito. Monika Silva, an anti-corruption activist and president of the La Integridad Foundation, was found dead in her home on Monday, June 8. Authorities are investigating the causes of her death. According to social organizations, approximately 73 feminicides had been registered in Ecuador by April.

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We have realized that the state and its inefficiency are not protecting us, that there are very few guarantees of protection and security for girls, adolescents, and women in society.