This method of violence is one of the very few strategies women have in Argentina to fight back against their oppressors. Argentina is like the USA in the 1950's in terms of sex-role stereotyping and misogyny. It is widely considered acceptable behavior for men in Argentina to verbally and emotionally (and some time physically) abuse their wives; to have at least one mistress; to attempt to have sex with any other woman that he sees; to have children with multiple women; to visit brothels regularly; to provide little help in the maintenance of the household; to never share in cooking or cleaning; to expect that all women physically resemble swimsuit models; etc. Not only are these types of behavior considered acceptable, Argentine men feel so comfortable about doing these types of things that they frequently boast about such thing in front of other women. Add all this personal abuse with the chauvinist society in general where women are very clearly informed of their subordinate place in society, and this country is a tinderbox of frustration, depression, and rage amongst women with very few viable constructive outlets.
Of course, physical assault with fire is a terrible act and not to be promoted. Some recipients are completely undeserving, while others are vastly over-deserving.
By the way, the same situation goes in Brasil. It seems pretty ironic that Argentina, Brasil, and Chile have/had female leaders while many of the more progressive (in terms of gender equality) nations of the world have not.
