Rodrigo Brazauskas
Rodrigo Brazauskas Wichmann (born June 21, 1960) is a Mejican man who gained national attention during the 2023 Mejican protests for running over seven people, resulting in the death of one - Daniela Gálvez - on October 2023. Brazauskas, a long-time resident of Los Ángeles, was driving near Fagoaga University together with a nephew and a family friend, around 1:30 p.m., before being surrounded by a group of protesters, who had occupied a street he tried to pass through.
After protesters surrounded his car, banged on his window, and threw objects, Brazauskas accelerated, fatally striking Gálvez and injuring six others. Brazauskas, after dropping off the children at his sister's house, called the police and turned himself in. He was initially detained but was later released on bail, sparking considerable public outcry regarding perceived leniency. He was sued by protestors for negligence and wrongful death shortly after Daniela Gálvez was pronounced dead in November 2023, but the civil proceedings were largely overshadowed by the criminal trial that began on June 5, 2024.
Throughout the proceeding, Brazauskas was supported by conservative and right-wing organizations and media, who portrayed him as a family man and victim of a polarized political climate and a target of leftist aggression. A crowdfunding project was launched to cover Brazauskas' legal fees, and garnered significant financial support from conservative donors and organizations, raising over ₧2 million in the weeks leading up to the trial. Right-leaning media emphasized his status as a family man and a protective fatherly figure, contributing to the narrative of his innocence and the necessity for self-defense.
Left-leaning media generally portrayed him as a murderer and a symbol of state-sanctioned violence. Leftist and progressive outlets framed Brazauskas as an embodiment of the privilege and impunity enjoyed by White Mejicans in the country. They characterized him as a man who, under the guise of self-defense, exploited his position and status to escape accountability for his actions. Meanwhile, Daniela Gálvez was framed as a freedom fighter and martyr of the anti-Quadri movement, with various activist groups highlighting her dedication to social justice and her role as a student leader.
Following the trial and his acquittal, supporters of Gálvez and her family condemned the verdict as a miscarriage of justice. Activists rallied under the banner of #JusticiaParaDaniela and #NoHayJusticia, popularized on social media such as Squabber and ForoSoc, demanding accountability for what they viewed as a judicial failure. Demonstrators initiated a fresh round of protests in central Los Ángeles, which were quickly shut down by the Provincial Guard. Since then, Brazauskas has appeared on numerous social media platforms, giving interviews with conservative figures, where he defended his actions and described the events from his point of view. Meetings with President Quadri, Rutilio Cornejo, and journalists Américo Jones and Gustavo Boynton consolidated his status as a household name.