Argentina is reeling after the brutal torture, rape, and murder of three young women was livestreamed by a drug gang on Instagram. Authorities confirmed that the killings of Brenda del Castillo, Morena Verdi, and Lara Gutiérrez were watched by about 45 people in a closed Instagram Live group before their bodies were discovered buried in the garden of a house in southern Buenos Aires.
According to Security Minister Javier Alonso, the women were deceived into attending what they believed was a social gathering, only to fall into a deadly trap set by an international drug trafficking organisation. “The torture session was streamed live, not recorded – broadcast in real time,” Alonso said, describing the crime as a calculated act of terror.
The Buenos Aires Ministry of Women and Diversity condemned the murders as femicides, calling them “the most extreme expression of gender-based violence” and “a brutal and ferocious expression of dehumanisation, cruelty, and neglect.”
The victims were last seen on CCTV entering a white pickup truck. Investigators later discovered the burned-out vehicle in nearby wasteland, just 100 metres from where the bodies were buried. Four suspects have been arrested so far, while Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has been asked for comment regarding the use of its platform to facilitate the broadcast.
This case highlights the disturbing intersection of gender-based violence, organised crime, and digital platforms – sparking renewed calls in Argentina for tougher measures to address femicide and online abuse.
