Death of Daniela Gálvez
On October 30, 2023, in the midst of the 2023 Mejican protests, Fagoaga University student Daniela Gálvez Magallón, aged 22, was participating in a protest in Los Ángeles against the government, specifically against the annexation of Belice y Los Altos and Gabriel Quadri. At approximately 13:39 she was struck by a vehicle, a Godoy Carmelo, that was being driven by Mejican citizen Rodrigo Brazauskas. She was rushed to the Santa Rosa de Lima Hospital in the San Gabriel de Puvunga district, where she was interned for emergency medical treatment. She was proclaimed dead just days later, on November 2.
The accident and the following death provoked mixed reactions, both peaceful and violent. Vigils, memorials, marches in her honor began to proliferate across many Mejican universities. On social media, specifically on Squabber, the hashtag #JusticiaParaDaniela was shared over 4 million times worldwide between October 30 and November 2, quickly becoming a rallying cry for activists across Mejico. Both Gálvez and Brazauskas became a cause célèbre in the ongoing civil unrest, with activists framing Gálvez as a "martyr for the cause against government oppression" while conservatives rallied behind Brazauskas as a "family man threatened by communist rioters who did what he had to do".
The campaign for justice for Gálvez inspired riots in major urban centers and universities, culminating in what has been dubbed the "Day of Rage" (Spanish: Día de Furia) on November 10, 2023. Thousands of demonstrators gathered in cities such as Mejico City, San Francisco, and Los Ángeles, intensifying the atmosphere of unrest. The protests turned violent as clashes with law enforcement escalated, resulting in aggressive crackdowns by police and military forces. Demonstrators were met with rubber bullets, tear gas, and live munitions, leading to further casualties, injuries, and hundreds of arrests among the protesters. The property damage caused during these events was considerable, with businesses, government buildings, and public infrastructure suffering extensive destruction. In Los Ángeles alone, reports estimated damages exceeding ₧80 million to both city-owned and privately-owned property.
Mejican journalists have obtained camera footage of the event, capturing a mob surrounding Brazauskas' vehicle, leading to a violent confrontation. Eyewitness accounts describe a chaotic scene where protesters attempted to prevent Brazauskas from leaving the area. According to Brazauskas' recount of the events, he was a passerby and had two infant children in the car, which he claimed influenced his actions as the situation escalated. Brazauskas stated that he felt threatened by the angry crowd, prompting him to accelerate his vehicle in an attempt to escape, which resulted in Gálvez's death and six injuries, as fellow rioters were either run over or also struck by the vehicle. Following the controversy surrounding his actions, Brazauskas was placed under protective custody amid fears for his safety, while legal proceedings commenced against him, further energizing public discourse.
The trial of Rodrigo Brazauskas, one of the most widely televised trials in Mejican history, began on June 5, 2024, long after the Mejican protests had been suffocated. The proceedings were scrutinized by national and international observers and reactions reflected the great polarization of Mejican society. Ultimately, Brazauskas was declared not guilty of all charges raised against him, a verdict that incited widespread outrage among activists and leftist factions within Mejico. Supporters of Gálvez and her family condemned the verdict as a miscarriage of justice, claiming it exemplified the impunity enjoyed by those aligned with the government. Demonstrators initiated a fresh round of protests in central Los Ángeles, which were quickly shut down by the Provincial Guard.