Santiago Prieto, the brother of Bárbara Prieto, expressed his emotions after learning the sentence given to his sister’s murderer. He stated, “Emotions found,” and shared that the length of the sentence was not a concern for him, as it would not bring his sister back. Santiago explained that the focus was on closing a chapter and moving forward, rather than the number of years the perpetrator received.
While the sentence was not what the family had expected, Santiago emphasized the importance of closure. He said, “For us, more important than the years they gave was to close all this to be able to move on.” Accompanying the justice process and reliving the events has been challenging for Santiago. He expressed gratitude to the prosecution, lawyers, and psychologists who worked on the case.
Santiago recently faced the perpetrator of the femicide, an experience he found difficult to describe. He recalled, “From the first moment I saw it, it is something that I did not expect, but today that I see it outside, seeing it there is different.” Despite the encounter, Santiago stated that seeing the perpetrator did not change anything for him and his family.
The family is holding on to the values that Bárbara instilled in them. Santiago mentioned that they have a three-year-old girl who is growing and learning to navigate emotions. He believes that it is essential to teach her to be a better person, despite the negative aspects of the world. Santiago acknowledged that feelings of regret and anger would not bring his sister back, and the family is focused on moving forward.