This Wednesday, a group of deputies introduced a bill that seeks to establish mandatory preventive detention for subjects who commit femicides accomplished or frustratedin order to “protect the integrity” of the victims.
The initiative arises from the case of Helia Martínez, a woman who has been the victim of three femicide attempts by her husbandand in whose last formalization he was left under house arrest.
The initiative was promoted by the PPD-IND deputies Camila Musante and Marta González, the deputy Raúl Soto (PPD), together with the parliamentarian Karol Cariola (PC) and Joanna Pérez (Democrats).
Parliamentarian Musante highlighted that the objective of the initiative is «protect the integrity of the victims and not that a conviction comes when the victim is no longer there, when it is too late.”
Subsequently, he detailed “not only that preventive detention exists as a precautionary measure, but that if preventive detention is established as a precautionary measure, This cannot be replaced by a bond or an economic surety.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Soto addressed his words to the Government, expressing that “the State and justice when it comes to protecting the victims of frustrated femicide “It’s very up to par.”.
Because “In many cases they are free and attack again, They are left with measures to keep the victim away and they attack again,” hence the urgency of the legislation.
Finally, Representative Pérez stated that “the women’s agenda has to be much broader than the view that a current government may have, and beyond having approved a project that eliminates violence in all spaces, We believe that we must continue moving forward in this.”
The case of Helia Martínez
In November 2023, Diego Manzur, trauma doctor and husband of psychologist Helia Martínez, He went to a medical center location located in the commune of San Fernando, the victim’s workplace, to try to set it on fire.
Security cameras revealed that Manzur entered the premises dressed in black tactical clothing and carrying a compressed air gun, to make sure you leave the premises open.
Subsequently, he left the medical center to go to a gray car that was waiting for him a block away. He tried to return again, but was detained by Carabineros personnel. In the local, A 40-liter fuel canister was found.
Manzur was formalized for the crimes of contempt, robbery in an uninhabited place and attempted arson, however, The court decreed a precautionary measure of house arrest and a prohibition on approaching the victim and her workplace.
The measure outraged Helia Martínez, since prior to this event, In November 2023, the woman had also been a victim of frustrated femicide by Manzur.
In fact, in that formalization he had been placed in preventive detention, however, After a few weeks he was released due to a legal technicality, a moment that Manzur took advantage of to plan the arson attempt.
Although, in this last formalization the prosecution requested preventive detention, The judge did not consider that the accused had been deprived of liberty for frustrated femicide.
Helia’s first femicide attempt was in 2019when she had been married for two years to the trauma doctor, who tried to suffocate her. Although she made the complaint, she gave up some time later so as not to harm his children.
«“After three frustrated femicides against me, he is lying with a bed warmer watching Netflix with his mother.”said the woman after learning of the latest precautionary measure.
Regarding the initiative, Martínez expressed that “this is an issue from Congress and not from social networks or the marches, because in practice women who suffer frustrated femicide or who end up dead have no help from anyone. There is no real support today, so I think this is much more valuable than a post with a lot of likes.”
He concluded by assuring that «Protecting women is also protecting the children and families behind them. Children who sometimes have to be witnesses and are not left as victims.”
