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By Gabriela Cruz, from San Miguel de Tucumán

Photos: Mariana Leder Kremer 

Family members, members of the trans community of Tucumán, and relatives of victims of police brutality arrived this morning at the Criminal Courts to demand justice and the clarification of the transvesticide of Cinthya Moreira.

The Moreira family's lawyer, Carlos Garmendia, along with Laura Moreira, Cinthya's sister, met with the Secretary of Justice of the Public Prosecutor's Office, who expressed his willingness to cooperate to advance the investigation. " Right now, we feel very supported by the justice system. It's not like it was at the beginning. The 7th Prosecutor's Office is investigating, and we have faith that everything will come to light," Laura Moreira told Presentes.

On February 14, 2018, Cinthya Moreira left her home accompanied by her friend Mahia Amaya. After five days of searching, her family received information that a dismembered body found in the backyard of a house in Villa Alem, south of the provincial capital, might be that of the young woman. On April 17, 2018, the courts confirmed that the DNA from that body was Cinthya's.

“Cinthya wasn’t alone; her family was always there for her, supporting her. We never judged her, quite the opposite. She was happy being trans, and that was all that mattered,” Laura Moreira said outside the Tucumán Criminal Courts.

The demonstration ended with a traffic blockade on Sarmiento Avenue, in front of the courthouse. The trans women demanded justice for Cinthya and for every victim of violence against LGBT+ people. “Cinthya always fought for the rights of trans women, and now I feel I have to continue supporting those struggles,” said Laura, adding that she will request a meeting with the provincial governor to be heard along with the trans women who accompanied her today.

Protection protocol for trans victims and witnesses

“Today we received a very interesting proposal to begin working on a protocol for the care of trans victims and witnesses,” Garmendia emphasized. “We were able to discuss in detail the circumstances of trans women, and developing a protocol means making visible specific problems related to the justice system, the victims of crimes, and the inclusion of witness statements, taking into account the vulnerable situation in which these women find themselves ,” the lawyer added.

The role of Mahia's friend

Garmendia said he is satisfied with the progress of the investigation: “We have reconstructed some of Cinthya's itinerary and we are certain that Mahia Amaya knows something. Our hypothesis is that she is covering up or that she participated in the crime ,” he remarked.

A reward for searching for data

The Specialized Robbery and Theft Prosecutor's Office IV, of the Public Prosecutor's Office, headed by Arnoldo Suasnábar, requested a reward from the National Coordination Program for the Search for Missing Persons, under the Ministry of Security, to aid in the search for the perpetrators of Cynthia Moreira's murder. The Prosecutor's Office stated that it is fully committed to solving the case, working continuously with the Homicide Division of the Police and the Fiscal Investigations Team.