Muxe Leader Mayte López Regalado’s Death Spurs Renewed Focus on LGBTQ+ Safety in Mexico

Muxe Leader Mayte López Regalado’s Death Spurs Renewed Focus on LGBTQ+ Safety in Mexico
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The brutal murder of Mayte López Regalado, a former muxe queen, has shaken the community of Oaxaca, casting a harsh light on the ongoing violence against the LGBTQ+ community in Mexico.  

López Regalado, a well-known figure in Juchitán, was found with her hands and feet tied, her body showing signs of torture along a federal highway between Juchitán and Tehuantepec. This tragic act is unfortunately proof of how this community continues to be demonized.  

Who Was Mayte López Regalado?

López Regalado was a talented seamstress and a prominent leader within the muxe community.

Muxe, a term rooted in Zapotec culture, refers to individuals assigned male at birth who take on traditionally female roles in various aspects of life — social, sexual, or personal. She was crowned queen of the Vela de Auténticas Intrépidas Buscadoras del Peligro, a collective dedicated to defending the rights of the muxe community. Her death, according to activists, is yet another sign of the violent epidemic sweeping certain regions of Mexico. 

Expressions of grief poured in across social media, with many mourning the loss of López Regalado and demanding an end to the violence plaguing the muxe and broader LGBTQ+ communities. Calls to action have intensified, with advocates urging the government to step in and investigate. The Coalition Mexicana LGBTTTI+, among other organizations, condemned the murder in a public statement, voicing outrage and sorrow over the loss of someone so central to the local fight for diversity and equality. 

“In profound pain and with enormous indignation, the Coalition Mexicana LGBTTTI+ condemns the brutal murder of Mayte López Regalado, a muxe woman and former queen of the traditional Vela de las Auténticas Intrépidas Buscadoras del Peligro, whose body was found with signs of torture in Juchitán,” the organization stated. Many feel the absence of López Regalado because she was a pillar of her community and an advocate for the visibility and rights of the muxe people in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. 

This Is An Unfortunate Trend In Mexico And It Needs to Stop

Her death marks a disturbing addition to the grim tally of transgender killings in Mexico. According to the Asamblea Nacional Trans, at least 50 trans individuals have been victims of femicide so far this year in Mexico. Activists argue that the authorities’ failure to properly investigate such crimes only fuels the ongoing violence. 

“The impunity and lack of responses from authorities perpetuate a cycle of hatred and marginalization that must be stopped,” they said 

The local and national LGBTQ+ communities are now urging all levels of government to take swift and decisive action. They demand that the investigation into López Regalado’s death is thorough, ensuring that justice is served in this case and beyond. For many, this tragic murder highlights the urgent need for greater protection for the LGBTQ+ population in a country where violence against marginalized groups continues unchecked. 

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