In the region comprised of the states of Puebla and Tlaxcala, 2024 ended with four LGBT+ people murdered, according to a report issued by the Letra S, AIDS, Culture, and Daily Life, A.C. observatory, published on the occasion of the Day Against Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.
On the hate crime map, the states with the most homicidal violence against the LGBT+ population are: Mexico City with 17 cases; Veracruz with 8 cases; Jalisco with 6 cases; followed by Morelos and Nuevo León with 5 cases each.
In the case of Puebla, it is specified that four cases were recorded, while in Tlaxcala there is only one documented case throughout last year.
Letra S specifies that during 2024, at least 80 LGBT+ people were murdered throughout Mexico. Cases like that of Mayte López Regalado expose the brutality and cruelty that characterize crimes committed out of prejudice and/or hate against the gender-diverse population. Mayte, a muxe woman, renowned artisan, and human rights defender, was murdered in Juchitán, Oaxaca. Her murder shocked those who knew her, but also those of us who know her today for this history of violence.
According to María Mercedes Gómez, researcher and specialist in studies on prejudice-based violence, cases like Mayte’s should be considered the effects of a symbolic and almost disciplinary power against the LGBT+ population, and not just an isolated incident. These crimes represent more than homicides, as they send a kind of intimidating message directed at those who identify with the victims because of their identity or community affiliation. The victims become the embodiment of a message that seeks to threaten an entire community.
Over the last three years, at least 233 LGBTI+ people have been murdered in Mexico. However, this figure could rise to double or slightly more. Remember, not all violent incidents are formally reported or covered by the media. It is essential to build mechanisms to ensure the legitimate reporting and visibility of these incidents.
In 2024, at least 80 LGBTI+ people were murdered, the vast majority (55 cases) of whom were identified as trans women. This trend has prevailed in recent years; for example, in 2023, of the 66 victims, at least 43 were trans women, and in 2022, of the 87 victims, 48 were trans women. According to information from INEGI (National Institute of Statistics and Geography), we can estimate a rate of approximately 37.1 homicides per 100,000 trans women in the country.
Regarding the homosexual population, at least 19 homicides of gay men were documented this year; unfortunately, no information was obtained in the case of lesbian women. In this regard, we believe it would be worth investigating the number of femicides and highlighting the sexual orientation of the victims to highlight the manifestations of prejudice against these women.
While the number of gay men murdered is lower than the number of transfemicides, the effects of prejudice are not. An example of this is the case of Ricardo Tirado, the victim of a brutal murder involving at least four people. According to the Prosecutor’s Office’s investigation, Ricardo died as a result of the numerous blows the young men inflicted on him with a baseball bat. His body was found in the yard of the property where he lived, bearing signs of profound violence and torture. His genitals had been mutilated, and his ears were torn off, later placed on a plastic chair next to his body, wrapped in plastic.
One of the most representative characteristics of bias-based violence is the cruelty or brutality with which the crimes are committed. This is expressed in the use of various weapons in the commission of the crimes and in the multiple wounds inflicted on the victims’ bodies. According to this record, of the 80 documented victims, at least 11 suffered multiple forms of violence. In nine additional cases, the victims were reported to have signs of torture, such as having their hands and feet tied, or having adhesive tape over their mouths.
Source: urbanopuebla
