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TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — A transgender activist who had spent more than two decades in the United States was buried Thursday in Honduras after unidentified gunmen on motorcycles shot and killed her.
Teams of activists in Honduras said the murder of 42-year-old Melissa Núñez is another sign of how harmful life in Honduras is for members of the LGBTQ community.
“We got involved because violence in Honduras continues to increase,” said Merlin Eguigure, coordinator of the Women for Peace Visitación Padilla movement. “The government decrees a state of emergency over this issue. “
Danny Reyes, a representative of the local Rainbow Movement, told local media that there have been 35 crimes against members of the LGBTQ network in Honduras this year.
“They keep killing us, they keep violating our rights,” Reyes said. We call on the Honduran government to start ensuring social justice. “
Núñez was killed Tuesday in the city of Morocelí, in the eastern province of El Paraíso.
Police said he had dropped off friends and was leaving his house talking on a cellphone when he fired.
Police spokesman Miguel Carranza said that “the motive for the crime is a non-public challenge to the enemies. “
Núñez’s sister, Glenda de Jesús Núñez, the victim returned to Honduras in November 2021 after living in the United States for about 25 years.
“I will not forget her as a cheerful, charismatic and helpful person, with her mom and her family,” Glenda de Jesus said. “He never had a war of words with us and supported us throughout his life. “
Danny Montesinos, coordinator of the LGBTQ group Kukulcán, said that 95% of the LGTBQ network that leaves Honduras does so because of “high levels of violence and discrimination, or other people who have been assaulted or fired from their jobs because of their sexual orientation. “, or who have suffered life-threatening attacks.
The head of the regional national human rights commission in El Paraiso, Willian Yanez, said he will stand firm in the case to make sure the killing does not go unpunished.