Chile: Valentín, a young trans man who had been missing, was found dead
The 25-year-old was reported missing on February 2nd. His body was found on Tuesday the 8th. Activists took to the streets to demand justice.
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SANTIAGO, Chile. The LGBTI+ community gathered on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 9, in the Plaza de Armas of Santiago and in other cities across Chile to bid farewell to and pay tribute to Valentín Quezada, a young transmasculine man who was found dead this Tuesday in the city of Chillán.
Valentín was 25 years old, a fourth-year veterinary medicine student, and a volunteer at a bird rescue center. He had recently begun his transition and planned to legally change his name and gender in the coming days, according to Public Policy Coordinator at Organizing Trans Diversities (ODT) , Presentes
She left her home on Wednesday, February 2nd, around 4 PM and never returned. On the afternoon of Thursday, February 3rd, her family filed a missing person report with the authorities. However, according to information obtained by OTD, which has been in constant contact with the family, the police did not begin the search until Saturday, February 5th.
Presentes on Tuesday that, for the moment, the police do not suspect the involvement of third parties in his death and demanded that the causes be clarified as quickly as possible.
“Trans lives matter”
Valentín's family organized a candlelight vigil in Chillán , and several other cities across the country joined in simultaneously. In Santiago, those who gathered in the Plaza de Armas did so to demand a swift investigation, under the slogan "Trans lives matter."
“We will not stop until we know what happened to Valentín,” said Hire Azken, an activist with the Trans Masculinities Front and one of the people who organized and called for the protest.
“If there was no third-party involvement and it was a case of suicide, we are facing a social problem. It is society's responsibility. Suicide is not a decision that trans people make on a whim. It is a decision that comes after a lot of exhaustion and many times when we cried out that we needed something and no one listened to us,” Hire said before handing the microphone over to those who wanted to express something about Valentín's death.
The vigil was attended by activists from various organizations, neighbors, self-organized groups, and also figures from the political world, such as the mayor of Santiago, Irací Hassler, and the future deputy Emilia Schneider .
There were candles for the memory of Valentín, but also for Tehuel De La Torre, a trans boy who disappeared on March 11, 2021 in Argentina .
“From this difficult and painful situation that brings us together, I believe we can gather strength to fight for a much fairer country, one where we can develop well and love as we want, a country that guarantees equality, rights, and the free and full life that we all deserve,” said Hassler, a feminist, who took the reins of the municipality in June of last year.
The Forensic Medical Service released Valentín's body to his family, but as of this writing, the autopsy results had not yet been released. Franco Fuica, from OTD, told Presentes that the report, which could shed light on what happened, will not be available for another ten days.
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