In Mexico City, prominent non-binary activist Ociel Baena was brutally killed with a razor blade, as stated by a local prosecutor on Tuesday. This suspected murder has sparked an outpouring of grief from the country’s LGBT community.
Mourners gathered for candlelight vigils in various cities on Monday evening, where they expressed their sorrow and anger at the ongoing insults and violence faced by many gay, transgender, and non-binary Mexicans. Some attendees waved rainbow fans, a staple at public events attended by Baena.
In a shocking turn of events, Baena and their partner Dorian Daniel were discovered dead in the early hours of Monday morning at their home in central Aguascalientes state. According to Aguascalientes chief prosecutor Jesus Figueroa, Baena sustained 20 lacerations from a shaving razor, with one to the neck that was likely fatal.
Figueroa also stated that initial investigation findings did not point to the involvement of a third person based on video footage and fingerprints at the crime scene. Additionally, some forensic evidence suggested that Daniel may have committed the murder and subsequently died by suicide.
Human Rights Watch’s LGBT rights researcher Cristian Gonzalez urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into whether Baena’s gender identity and activism played a role in this suspected murder. There were concerns about potential discrimination and violence faced by LGBT individuals in socially conservative areas like Aguascalientes.
Despite the challenges, Baena had made significant strides in their activism, serving as a state elections judge since last year. Juan Pablo Delgado from local human rights group Amicus applauded Baena’s influential leadership and unwavering presence at public marches.
This tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the LGBT community in Mexico and prompted calls for justice and protection of LGBT individuals. The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding Baena’s death, as the country mourns the loss of a pioneering activist and advocate.
(Reporting by David Alire Garcia; Additional reporting by Laura Gottesdiener; Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
