Protesters accuse Ecuadorian police of covering up murder of lawyer Bernal

Dozens of people gathered in front of the police headquarters in Quito to express their rejection of the actions of Ecuadorian state authorities following the disappearance of lawyer María Belén Bernal, whose lifeless body was found.

The young woman said that with the sit-in in front of police headquarters, she was protesting the nefarious actions of the state in general and the alleged murder of a woman in Quito.

Mayorga participated in the demonstration along with human rights groups and feminist collectives expressing solidarity with Elizabeth Otavalo, the mother of lawyer Bernal.

The latter was last seen on Sept. 11 entering the police station in northern Quito to visit her husband.

According to initial reports, the couple had an argument during which screams, punches, and noises were heard, but there is no record of the lawyer leaving the police academy.

“There were about 40 people there, and they heard everything, but no one did anything; they killed her, the police covered for the killer, they let him escape,” said the young activist, referring to the cadets and office staff who did not report the situation at the facility and did not come to her aid.

Earlier, Otavalo had called for a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Still, shortly before the deadline, Lasso confirmed from New York through the social network Twitter that the remains found belonged to Bernal.

At a press conference, Interior Minister Patricio Carrillo apologized “on his knees” on behalf of the government and offered an apology to the victim’s family for this crime, which involved the National Police and for which dozens of people demanded his resignation today, but so far this has not happened.

At a press conference, Carrillo did not rule out a genetic examination due to the degree of decomposition of the body located on a hill, nor a radiological analysis and dental comparison to confirm the identity of the remains.

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