Mexico first openly non-binary magistrate and prominent LGBTQ activist Jesús Ociel Baena Saucedo was found dead at home in the central state of Aguascalientes on Monday.
A second individual, identified as Baena’s romantic partner, was discovered deceased in the shared residence, as reported by authorities in Aguascalientes, a state located approximately 500 kilometers (300 miles) northwest of the capital city.
Mexico’s Security Minister, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, stated that the cause of death is currently unknown, and Aguascalientes’ Attorney General, Jesús Figueroa, indicated that there is no evidence of foul play at this moment.
Speaking during President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s daily press conference on Monday, Rodríguez mentioned, “The investigation is going to be done.”
Preliminary findings from the prosecutor’s office reveal no traces of blood outside the crime scene, no damage to the accessways of the home, and the exclusion of the “presence of a third person” in the deaths. The office also noted that “one of the lifeless bodies found was holding a cutting instrument.”
Figueroa emphasized that the case would be examined from a gender perspective, as Baena identified as a non-binary person. However, there was no mention of the deaths potentially being linked to a hate crime. magistrate and prominent LGBTQ
For just over a year, Baena served as a member of the Electoral Tribunal in the central Mexican state of Aguascalientes.
In October of the previous year, Baena spoke to CNN en Español, highlighting the absence of a record in Latin America of a non-binary magistrate. Becoming the first held significant meaning for Baena, representing an achievement and recognition for years of advocacy for LGBTQ rights.
“I want to send the message that the LGBTQ population can access these spaces, that there is a possibility, that we have people with enough of a profile that, with their own merits, can access these spaces where decisions are made,” Baena expressed at that time.
Despite notable progress in Latin America regarding marriage equality, LGBTQ+ activists and gender minorities still face elevated levels of violence and discrimination from social and religious conservatives.
The legalization of same-sex marriage across all 32 states of Mexico, with Tamaulipas being the last to authorize such unions in 2022, marked a significant step. Furthermore, this month, Mexico’s Guadalajara city co-hosted the Gay Games alongside Hong Kong, a pioneering event for both continents in hosting the gender-inclusive sports competition, despite opposition from conservative politicians.