Father Sets Son On Fire For Being Gay And HIV Positive
Forty-nine
year-old Hitler Baneo Núñez doused his son in gasoline and set him on
fire for being gay and HIV positive. The attack occurred in Loreto, a
region of Peru deep in the Amazon.
The
boy, who is 22 and identified as Roberto, was rescued by his neighbors
and his aunt, who took him to the region's largest city, Iquitos.
Roberto,
who also has tuberculosis, has been living in a nursing home for people
with HIV since the beginning of March. He suffered burns to his face,
arms and legs.
A
local newspaper reported that Nuñez attacked Roberto because he "could
not bear being a laughing stock after they learned his son had
homosexual inclinations."
But
Roberto told the press that his father was motivated as much by fear of
his illness as homophobia. "My father wanted to kill me for having
these illnesses," Roberto said. "Unfortunately, my father does not
accept me as I am."
Since
learning of the case, the local LGBT organization, the Comunidad
Homosexual de la Región Loreto (CHERL), is hoping the local authorities
will treat this case as a human rights abuse, not just an assault.
Hate
crimes are a widespread problem in Peru, say activists, who have been
pressing the national government to pass a hate crimes law
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