A little more than three months after the death of Daniel Zamudio, who was beaten, stabbed, burned, and branded with a Swastika by a gang of neo-Nazis in March and died days later in a hospital, Chile's President Sebastian Pinera signed a hate crimes bill into law which had languished in the country's legislature for seven years, the AP reports:
"Without a doubt, Daniel's death was painful but it was not in vain," Pinera said at a press conference joined by Zamudio's parents.
"His passing not only unified wills to finally approve this anti-discrimination law but it also helped us examine our conscience and ask ourselves: have we ever discriminated someone? … After his death we'll think twice, thrice or four times before we fall prey to that behavior."
Four suspects, some with criminal records for attacks on homosexuals, have been jailed in Zamudio's killing. Prosecutors are seeking murder charges.
Said Gay Liberation and Integration Movement President Rolando Jimenez to the AP: "This law is a giant leap toward creating tools that can prevent and punish discrimination. There's still a lot to be done and we need the institutions to enforce it."
