The province of Málaga has united in condemnation of the murder of María, 29, which occurred last Monday in Antequera. The City Council has declared two days of official mourning and held an extraordinary session.
A minute of silence broken only by contained sobs. This is how Antequera said goodbye to María on Wednesday, the 29-year-old woman murdered last Monday in the Málaga municipality, in another case of gender violence that has left two orphans.
Residents, authorities, and institutional representatives gathered at 12:00 in the Plaza de San Sebastián, at the doors of the Town Hall, to express their outrage. The event was attended by the territorial delegate for Social Inclusion, Youth, Families, and Equality of the Junta in Málaga, Ruth Sarabia, and delegates Antonio García and Fernando Fernández. The first deputy mayor and vice president of the Provincial Council, Juan Rosas, also attended.
Previously, at 11:00, the City Council had held an extraordinary session in which an Institutional Declaration of condemnation and solidarity with the victim was read and approved. In the text, the municipal corporation stated that "today Antequera is in mourning" and that "every woman murdered represents a collective failure that calls on all of society."
The mayor of Antequera, Manuel Barón, told reporters that "this reality is evident and we are all suffering it, especially women." Barón advocated for "putting in place attitudes, education, commitment, unity, and both legal and judicial firmness." He also had words for the victim's two children: "From the City Council, through the area of childhood and social welfare, we will attend to and help with any needs they may have."
The City Council declared two days of official mourning on Tuesday, with the Antequera flag at half-mast on municipal buildings and a black ribbon on the interior flags.
In the Málaga capital, the Andalusian government's delegate in Málaga, Patricia Navarro, expressed "all the sadness and all the indignation and helplessness" after the minute of silence in front of the regional Executive Delegation. "Another victim, two children left orphaned," she lamented, conveying condolences and a commitment to look after those minors.
Navarro also recalled the case in Benahavís, still under investigation, but emphasized that "regardless of the causes, it is a woman who has died." She insisted that "we will continue working on prevention and coverage" and explained that María's family is already receiving psychological assistance from the Andalusian Women's Institute.
"Unfortunately, we always talk about these situations when they are already beyond remedy, but there are many women who, thanks to the system and existing protocols, are being saved," Navarro pointed out, encouraging to "sound the alarm."
For his part, the deputy government representative in Málaga, Javier Salas, participated in the minute of silence at the Government Delegation in Seville, alongside delegate Pedro Fernández. Similar events were also held in other parts of the province, such as at the doors of the town halls in the Costa del Sol and Axarquía.
With María's death, there have now been 41 women murdered due to gender violence this year in Spain, according to official data. In the province of Málaga, the Antequera case adds to that of Benahavís, still under investigation. Authorities remind that the phone number 016 is available to all victims 24 hours a day, in 51 languages, and leaves no trace on the bill.
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