Mexico: Demands for justice in the murder of Muxe activist Óscar Cazorla
Cazorla was found dead in his home in a pool of blood and with signs of violence.
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Members of the organization "The Authentic Intrepid Danger Seekers," from the LGBT collective and social organizations of Juchitán and Santa María Xadani demand justice and condemned the violent death of Óscar Cazorla, whom they referred to as an icon of the struggle for sexual diversity.
The 62-year-old Muxe activist and LGBT rights defender was found dead in his home in the municipality of Juchitán de Zaragoza, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, on Sunday, February 10.
According to local media reports, Cazorla's body was found in a pool of blood, bearing signs of violence. The cause of death is currently unknown.
[READ ALSO: The muxes, an ancient transgender identity]
Cazorla was one of the founders of "Las Auténticas Intrépidas Buscadoras del Peligro" (The Authentic Intrepid Danger Seekers), one of the most popular festivals among the LGBTQ+ community and dedicated to the muxes. This celebration, also known as a vela, has pre-Hispanic roots and has been celebrated for over 40 years in Juchitán de Zaragoza, reclaiming the role of the muxe in this region of Mexico.
In a document to be sent to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the organizations stated: “Our demand for justice is for the man, the friend, the fighter, and the human rights activist for the muxes. He was the brightest star to shine on this stage of the Authentic Intrepid Seekers of Danger, and today we demand a thorough, transparent, and results-oriented investigation. Enough of the secrecy. All the cases of violence and murder have brought grief to many families.” They added: “Óscar’s murder outrages and fills his community with anger because it not only cut short the life of a man who now becomes another statistic of insecurity, but also the life of an entire people.”
No justice for hate crimes
Muxe activist Amaranta Gómez Regalado said that hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community have been perpetrated for 15 years, and sadly, all remain unpunished. “There have been more than five murders, and in only one case, that of our friend Nisa, was a person arrested, who was later released. These crimes continue with impunity. We demand justice for them and for all the murders that have occurred in this city, considered the ninth most violent in the country,” she said.
To be muxe
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec, where Juchitán de Zaragoza is located, is known as the land of the muxes. In Zapotec culture, muxes represent a duality: people born male who adopt a female appearance and assume both feminine and masculine roles, following an ancestral tradition.
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