Mexico’s 1st nonbinary magistrate found dead; protesters push for thorough investigation

MEXICO CITY — Thousands of indignant, mournful protesters accumulated in Mexico’s capital on Monday night time not easy justice for and difficult the initial investigation into the loss of life of most likely the rustic’s most famed overtly nonbinary particular person.

Jesús Ociel Baena was once the primary overtly nonbinary particular person to suppose a judicial place in Mexico — most likely even the primary overtly nonbinary particular person in all of Latin America to take action — after they become a magistrate on a state courtroom in Aguascalientes in October 2022.

The Aguascalientes state prosecutor’s place of business stated Baena was once found useless of their condominium on Monday morning along Dorian Daniel Nieves, recognized via pals as Baena’s spouse.

Baena was once a few of the maximum visual LGBTQ+ advocates within the nation, incessantly posting on social media of their heels or skirts with a Pride flag fan, together with within the court.

Earlier this yr, they have been additionally the primary Mexican citizen issued a passport noting their nonbinary identification, receiving the report immediately from Mexico’s overseas secretary in a public rite in June.

Baena and Nieves returned house past due Sunday night time, in line with the prosecutor’s place of business, and there have been no indicators of pressured access on the scene.

“We don’t know at this time, according to the authorities’ report, what it is about, if it was a homicide or it was some accident,” Mexican Security Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez stated Monday at Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s day by day press convention.

“Let’s see first before giving information,” she added.

While the prosecutor’s place of business pledged to behavior an “objective investigation,” they have got already dominated out “the presence of a third person on site” and stated Monday that every one indicators level to “an issue of personal nature.”

With the reason for loss of life nonetheless beneath investigation, the prosecutor’s place of business stated that one in every of Baena or Nieves was once found keeping a “cutting instrument.”

The state’s public safety secretary advised one native outlet past due Monday that it was once a razor blade, found in Baena’s palms.

Advocates, then again, are elevating alarms about what they name the untimely recommendation that what came about was once a so-called crime of interest.

Protesters took to the streets in Mexico City, Aguascalientes and in other places on Monday with chants of “Justicia!” and “Crimen pasional, mentira nacional!” — more or less translated as “crimes of passion” are a “national lie” — as they clapped Pride lovers identical to Baena’s and driven for a thorough investigation.

Last yr, there have been no less than 87 killings of LGBTQ+ folks on account of their identification, in line with the Mexican nonprofit Letra S, which estimates the true quantity is most probably even upper. Trans girls made up greater than part of the ones reported homicides, in line with Letra S.

“The [Mexican] government did not always investigate and punish those complicit in abuses against LGBTQI+ persons, especially outside Mexico City,” the U.S. State Department stated in its most up-to-date human rights record.

Baena had reported receiving loss of life threats and stated they took measures to offer protection to their safety, together with acquiring an order for state coverage in July.

“It’s not something that I was happy to share, but the hate speech must be called out,” they wrote in a tweet on the time.