The Government Delegation shows its condemnation for the machista murder of María Belén Fernández in Mos (Pontevedra)

• There are already six women murdered in 2026 by their partners or ex-partners in Spain

Toledo.- The delegate of the Government of Spain in Castilla-La Mancha, José Pablo Sabrido, has roundly condemned the murder by gender violence of María Belén Fernández, 52 years old, in the province of Pontevedra, and has conveyed his deepest condolences to his relatives, friends and relatives. The condemnation was expressed during the minute of silence called today at the doors of the Government Delegation in Castilla-La Mancha in St. Vincent's Square.

With the confirmation of this case, of which there were no previous complaints, there are already six women killed in 2026 at the hands of their partners or ex-partners and five minors who have been orphaned. And since 2003, when data collection began, 1,349 women have been killed for gender-based violence.

In addition to the delegate, the subdelegate of the Government of Spain in the province of Toledo, Carlos Ángel Devia; the Coordination Unit against Violence against Women of the Government Delegation; agents of the National Police and the Civil Guard, representatives of the Board of Communities, councillors of the City of Toledo and workers of the Delegation have attended the event.

Institutional declaration

Accompanying this minute of silence, and applying the protocol approved by the Ministry of Equality and the Ministry of Territorial Policy when a male murder occurs, an institutional statement has been disseminated that highlights that, as a democratic society, “we cannot tolerate any type of violence against women because they are women.”

Male violence “is a structural violence, based on sexist discrimination, inequality and imbalance in power relations between women and men. Violence against women and girls violates their fundamental rights to life, liberty, physical and moral integrity, equality and dignity.”

He adds that, despite the negationist approaches of male violence, “we are going to persevere and we are going to continue moving towards a more just, egalitarian society and free of male violence. To this end, an appeal is made to all institutions, administrations and the whole of society to maintain this struggle from unity and firmness.”

Assistance

The Ministry of Equality, through the Government Delegation against Gender Violence, recalls that telephone 016, online consultations through email 016-online@igualdad.gob.es, the WhatsApp channel on the number 600 000 016 and online chat, accessible from the website violenciagenero.igualdad.gob.es, operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

At 016 you can ask for advice on the resources available and the rights of victims of all forms of violence against women, as well as legal advice from 8h to 22h every day of the week, with attention in 53 languages and a service adapted to possible situations of disability.

On the other hand, it also recalls that in an emergency situation you can call 112 or the emergency telephones of the National Police (091) and the Civil Guard (062). In case it is not possible to make a call and in a situation of danger, you can use the ALERTCOPS application, from which an alert signal will be sent to the police with geolocation.

These means of assistance can be activated by the victim and also by anyone who knows or suspects a case of gender violence.