Shisha was murdered in the Peruvian Andes: calls for an investigation into her transfemicide
Soledad Rojas Paúcar (48), also known as Shisha, was murdered on November 12 in her minimarket “Rojas”.
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By Verónica Ferrari
Soledad Rojas Paúcar (48), also known as Shisha, was murdered on November 12th in her minimarket “Rojas” located on the 19th block of Mariscal Castilla, in the El Tambo district of Huancayo, in the Peruvian Andes. She was found inside her shop with stab wounds to the neck and back of the head.
According to initial investigations, there was a prior meeting at the victim's establishment, and Shisha reportedly offered no resistance, leading authorities to presume the assailant was someone she knew. The killer stole her savings of approximately 7,000 soles. Neighbors point out that although the establishment is near the Municipal building, there are no security cameras in the surrounding streets that could have helped identify Shisha's killer.
Shisha was well-loved in her neighborhood because she was hardworking and involved in her community. She used to sell mazamorra and chicha at fairs and also participated in local festivities as a tunantera (a traditional regional dance). Because of the pandemic, she rented out the space to sell groceries.
Pressure to investigate the case
The Diversidad Wanka LGTB collective of Huancayo organized a vigil in the Parque de la Constitución to demand that the Police and the Prosecutor's Office not stop investigating the case as happened with another murdered trans woman, Sandy, who was killed in 2010 and they ended up archiving the case without finding those responsible for her death.
Presentes spoke with Bélgica Ledesma, coordinator of the group, who indicated that they held the vigil because they want to know who murdered her: “ Shisha was a very well-known person and they knew how vulnerable she was because she lived alone, it is very likely that they planned this crime, that is why we demand that the investigations continue, that they not be shelved.”
Ange Alexine Huaroto, head of the Wanka Diversity Emergency Response Network, told Presentes that they are working with Shisha's family to ensure the police quickly submit the report to the Prosecutor's Office, so that an investigation can be launched to bring those responsible for the crime to justice.
Obstacles to accessing justice
Huaroto added that in Huancayo there is a series of acts of violence against the LGBTQ+ population, especially against trans women, which often go unpunished due to obstacles in accessing justice. This occurs primarily among people living in poverty, as they lack the necessary resources to demand justice for their loved ones. Her organization is currently handling two cases: one involving a woman who was beaten and dislocated her wrist, leaving her incapacitated, and the other involving the sexual assault of a trans minor. Neither case has received the full legal support they need from the state, forcing them to seek volunteer lawyers to at least initiate legal proceedings against the perpetrators.
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