They denounce lesbophobia in the case of Ren and Maya, a couple run over by a metrobus in Mexico City
Maya and Renata, a lesbian couple, were hit by a Metrobús in Mexico City. Maya died and Renata is in serious condition. They are denouncing lesbophobia and serious irregularities in the investigation.
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On April 10th in Mexico City, a Metrobus driver ran over Maya and Renata, wives, openly lesbian, and healthcare professionals. Maya died of brain death, and Renata remains in critical condition in the hospital; her mobility and the sight in her right eye are compromised. Family, friends, and lesbian feminist networks denounce institutional lesbophobia, negligence, and revictimization.
At approximately 5:30 p.m. on April 10th, on Eje 2 Manuel González, Metrobus driver Jesús Alejandro 'N' ran over Maya and Renata as they attempted to cross the street. Both were dragged and trapped beneath the vehicle, sustaining serious injuries. Witnesses reported that they were holding hands and that Renata screamed for her wife.
Maya was a nurse and Renata a doctor. As part of the healthcare staff, they fought against the Covid-19 pandemic and also provided free medical care to women in vulnerable situations. Their friends remember them as “loving, supportive, always open to helping and listening to other women.”
Metrobus describes the event as an “incident”
The Metrobús communications office released a statement six days after the incident. It refers to an “incident” and states that they have been in contact with the families since the driver of bus number 123 struck the couple. The statement mentions that they are “working to ensure that the insurance company and the bus operator provide medical care for the injured person.”
They refer to only one person affected, not both. The families of Renata and Maya refuted Metrobus's claims and, along with their lawyer, Gabriela Amores, denounced a series of malpractices by the Metrobus insurance company.
Institutional lesbophobia
After the metrobus driver, Jesús Alejandro 'N', ran them over, 40 minutes passed until police and ambulances arrived.
The family and the victims' lawyer denounced that there was lesbophobia and discrimination from the first moment the first police officers arrived, as they were taken to different hospitals, even though people who witnessed the accident showed that they were together, holding hands - even under the metrobus - and that Renata screamed for her wife Maya.
Today, neither the family nor the lawyer knows who made that decision, and they denounce it as an act of discrimination motivated by lesbophobia.
“They wouldn’t do this to a heterosexual couple. This happens to lesbians, and that’s why it’s important to make lesbophobia visible. Renata was screaming for her wife; they were found holding hands; they are legally married. In this city of rights, it wasn’t enough,” Vica, a friend of the couple and a member of the Committee for Justice for Renata and Maya, made up of family, friends, and lesbian feminist networks, Presentes
Maya was taken to Balbuena General Hospital, where she was listed as unidentified . Despite being recognized by a relative of Renata while she still had vital signs, Renata was also listed as unidentified when she died.
Renata was taken to a private hospital but was not treated because the Metrobús company's insurance provider never arrived at the emergency room. Her family had to raise 50,000 pesos for her to receive medical attention; before that, she received no assistance. Today, her medical expenses have exceeded half a million pesos.
The Justice Committee launched a fundraising campaign at this link .
Negligence by the Mexico City Prosecutor's Office
The couple's lawyer, Gabriela Amores, denounced that the Mexico City Prosecutor's Office "mishandled and concealed the investigation file ." She was only able to access the file on April 18th. There, she discovered a forensic report concluding that "the Metrobús was not responsible."
“It’s an obscene conclusion. In two and a half lines, it was determined that there was no responsibility. That expert report came out less than 24 hours after the events. How could they do that without the necessary evidence?” the lawyer says.
The lawyer and the families are denouncing the metrobus driver, Jesus Alejandro 'N', for negligent injury and intentional homicide. He was arrested and released by the authorities, but was not brought to a hearing.
The lawyer alleges that the Prosecutor's Office also leaked a video of evidence, manipulated by investigative police officers, which was then used by the media to revictimize Renata and Maya.
Seven days after the accident, the Prosecutor's Office offered psychological support to the couple's family and has proposed economic options to the families to take responsibility for the expenses that correspond to the metrobus company.
The lawyer and the families insist that the Justice system only acts after pressure on social media and media coverage.
What is required
- The families and the lawyer are demanding an evidence-based investigation into the incident, who made the decision about which hospitals the girls were taken to, and why they were separated.
- The lawyer Amores points out that the comprehensive reparation of the damage to Maya's and Renata's life project, and that "the damage and act of discrimination due to lesbophobia against the life project of an entire family" be considered.
- Reparation for damages suffered by Renata for the murder of his wife, Maya. Full payment of medical expenses and funeral costs.
- Fine for the company responsible for the metrobus.
- They also call for the creation of a care protocol and an accident observatory in Mexico City.
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