Transfemicide in Tucumán: Power was 34 years old and was shot at point-blank range

Alejandra Benítez, a 34-year-old trans woman, was shot in the back and killed in San Miguel de Tucumán. This is the second trans femicide in the city during the pandemic.

November 6, 2020

By Gabriela Cruz, from San Miguel de Tucumán

Photos: Facebook and MPF

Yesterday, another trans woman was murdered in Tucumán: Alejandra Benítez, a 34-year-old trans woman, was shot in the back on the sidewalk in front of her home, at the intersection of Roca Avenue and Ayacucho Street in the provincial capital. During the morning, the Homicide Unit No. 2 reported that a key witness had been questioned. Initial reports indicate that a man was responsible for the shooting.

“The last thing we knew was that a guy got off his motorcycle, argued with her, and shot her point-blank,” said Claudinna Rukone, a trans activist and friend of Alejandra. “Apparently, Alejandra was walking away when this person pulled out the gun,” says Lorenzo Franco, coordinator in Tucumán for the Association of Transvestites, Transsexuals, and Transgender People of Argentina (ATTTA).

The organization was with Alejandra's family throughout Wednesday. "I met Alejandra during the pandemic. She took on the needs of her colleagues , and we worked extensively with food distribution programs to ensure that those who were struggling didn't go without," Franco explained.

The murder of Alejandra Benítez is the second transfemicide in the province since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic measures. The previous one was that of Vanesa Solórzano, a 20-year-old whose body was found in the Canal Sur area of San Miguel de Tucumán. Alejandra and Vanesa earned their living as sex workers, like so many transvestites and trans people who suffer structural violence and lack of access to basic rights. Neither of them reached the average life expectancy of a trans person in Latin America: 35 years.

The Power

“Her mother was everything to her. On Tuesday, she came to the neighborhood to visit her, bringing food to share at lunchtime because she was very family-oriented. She always came, even if just for a little while, or called every day when she traveled to other provinces,” says Julio Rocha, Alejandra’s cousin. “We grew up together. Her life was very hard. She was five years old when her brother was murdered, and shortly after, she lost her father, who couldn’t get over the loss of his son,” Julio recounts in an interview with Presentes.

“'La Power' was amazing,” says Claudinna, and amidst the sadness, she laughs remembering her friend. “We knew her name was Alejandra, but nobody called her that; she was always 'La Power.' And she lived up to the name. She was a whirlwind. Full of energy and joy. One of those people you can't stay mad at.”

“Every death is a setback for the community.”

Everyone who remembers Alejandra describes her as fun-loving, cheerful, supportive, and committed. “She was a girl who lived in the moment like no other, without making big plans. She wanted to get what she wanted now, enjoy it now because we don't know what tomorrow holds. Her death is a blow to us all and a setback for the community because every achievement in securing our rights seems like a small step when one of us is murdered,” Claudinna concludes.

Police sources confirmed to Presentes that the autopsy results are pending. For now, they are analyzing security camera footage from both public streets and businesses in the area.

The place where Alejandra was murdered is a kind of housing complex where most of the renters are trans. “That place means a lot to us, because in Tucumán it’s the only accessible and centrally located place where women can rent without so many complications and not only live, but also work. It’s very difficult that at this moment that place represents the death of a sister,” Rukone laments.

Yesterday, her friends' WhatsApp messages echoed the same message and demand for justice: "The death of a trans woman is a loss for our entire community, because every day that passes without comprehensive policies to protect us means one less trans person: The State is responsible! We demand that Alejandra's transfemicide be solved and that there be justice for her. Fly high, butterfly... The state is responsible. Comprehensive Trans Law NOW! Without trans women, there is no 'Not One Less'. Justice for Alejandra Power."

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