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By Vero Ferrari, from Lima

News updated on 2/4 

Trans activist Claudia Vera was shot and killed in the early hours of March 30. She was on a street in the Independencia district of Lima with a group of friends. She was 30 years old and had worked for several years as a human rights defender and HIV prevention advocate. She was one of the organizers of the first meeting of young people living with HIV and a founder of the Network of Young People with HIV in Peru.

[READ ALSO: 2018: The trans population, the main victims of violence in Peru]

According to witnesses, Claudia was arguing with a man when a woman approached her, threatened her, and left. Minutes later, the same woman returned with a gun and shot her five times at point-blank range. The young woman died instantly. The investigation was taken over on April 2nd by the Public Prosecutor's Office, through the 7th Prosecutor's Office of North Lima. The charge is "aggravated homicide."

Presentes contacted Claudia's sister, Liliana Vera, who is deeply shaken: “The wake is today, and the burial is tomorrow at the Belaunde Cemetery in Comas. My mother is devastated, and so is my father. She didn't deserve to die like that; no one deserves that kind of death. She wasn't a dog, she wasn't an animal. My sister was good, she was a joker, her friends knew her. I went to the morgue to change her body; it's awful. The bullets—one in the head, in her little head, one hit her ear and shattered it. Why so much evil? Why were they so cruel?”

Regarding the investigation, Liliana indicated that there are still no arrests. She's been told there's a video showing Claudia's murder, but for now, their focus is on being able to bury her: “First, we wanted to get her out of the morgue, and we only managed to do that today. Then we'll look into the investigation because we're overwhelmed. We're searching everywhere for money. They say there are videos showing her being shot, but we'll look into that later. We just want her to rest in peace. We have to go to the police station to collect her belongings because my sister wasn't with her things, and they haven't given us anything.”

Today, on Trans Visibility Day, various activists will gather at the site where Claudia was murdered to demand justice for her and for all trans women killed by transphobic violence and state neglect.

Sandy Sussel, a trans activist and Claudia's partner, told Presentes that the sit-in scheduled for 5 p.m. seeks justice for Claudia, "because when it comes to a trans woman, the police don't investigate, they don't care to know who kills us and why."

Activism in mourning

Various organizations and activists mourn her death and demand the enactment of laws such as the law against hate crimes, which protect the lives of trans people, who are in a situation of total exclusion by the Peruvian State.

The Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) of Peru said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Claudia Vera, a trans activist and colleague of Jóvenes Cambiando VIHdas (Youth Changing HIV-positive Women), who contributed greatly through her outstanding work for the community. Our condolences to her friends and family.”

The organization Sí a Vida (Yes to Life) posted: “Not one more death! The human rights of trans, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and intersex (TLGBI) people are not protected by laws and regulations in this country. Today, one of our instructors and volunteers was murdered, shot multiple times at point-blank range in the street in the Independencia district. Claudia Vera, a young activist and HIV prevention advocate, fought for trans women to live in a society free from violence and for hate crimes to be severely punished under the penal code.”

[READ ALSO: Survivors demand memory and justice for transfemicides in Peru]

Argentine HIV/AIDS rights activist Mariana Iacono wrote: “I am deeply saddened. Our dear Claudia Vera was murdered. The first young trans woman to organize a gathering of young people living with HIV in the history of Jóvenes Positivos LAC in Peru. Founder of the Peruvian network of young people living with HIV. Despite all her difficulties and with the help of others, she didn't stop until she succeeded. Transphobia—hatred of sex workers—continues to kill them throughout Latin America. We demand justice for Claudia, our friend and comrade. Today, Latin America and the Caribbean mourn because someone who believed the world could be a little better has died.”

[READ ALSO: Peru: Congress approved the repeal of Decree Law 1323 that protected the LGBTI population]

Claudio Javier Beltrán: “My dear Claudia Vera, I will miss you. I will miss your shouts, your eagerness to help in everything, your effort to do things well, your dedication to changing the world. You gave me a new family; the National Network of Young People Changing HIV/AIDS – Arequipa is your creation. You arrived and gave me the encouragement for what is now a reality. For anyone who says that being an activist is easy, no, it isn't, but this girl made it look easy. I thank you and many other young people in the network for making me the person I am today. You haven't left us yet. I will always remember that bowl of soup you offered me one day when I hadn't eaten.”

Currently, Peru does not have an express law that punishes hate crimes, because Legislative Decree No. 1323, which strengthened the fight against femicide, domestic violence, and gender violence, was repealed by the Congress of the Republic in May 2017 , with votes from Fuerza Popular and Alianza Para el Progreso, for allegedly exceeding the legislative powers that Congress gave to the Government.