Written by Rosa, Socialist Feminism in México
On June 8, doctor and trans activist, defender of the rights of the LGBTIQ + community was reported as missing. After ten days search, her lifeless body was located near the town of Tres Marías in the state of Morelos.
We regret the unjust death of María Elizabeth Montaño Fernández, who served as head of the educational quality area of the Coordination of Health Education of the National Medical Center (CMN), also known for being an activist in defense of the rights of the homosexual and transgender communities in Mexico City.
Her passing has caused us great dismay and outrage as it happened in LGBTIQ + Pride Month. Several people on social networks have raised their voices, endorsing Elizabeth's struggle in her "commitment to fighting violence, transphobia and impunity."
Annually around 79 trans people are killed in Mexico, and only 10% are investigated as a hate crime. In 2019 there was a record of 117 cases and so far in 2020 there have been 26 cases. Mexico is the second country for transfeminicide in Latin America, behind Brazil.
We are not making an appeal to the police and military, which in many cases are the same ones that harass and extort trans women. From ROSA Mexico we join the demand for justice for María Elizabeth Montaño and demand the finding of and punishment of those who have been responsible, and that these actions be carried out from a transfeminist perspective - under the principle of non-discrimination.
It is vital to break with this structural violence, which has been added to that generated by the lockdown. It is urgent that the women's movement, people of all genders and other social movements organize ourselves to demand full rights for the trans community. We join all the groups and collectives that have raised their voices for Elizabeth Montaño and we will continue with the organization and resistance in favor of justice and the rights of the trans community.
Trans lives matter!
Justice for Elizabeth Montaño!