Latin America Daily Briefing

Mexico’s first openly non-binary magistrate and a prominent LGBTQ+ activist, Jesús Ociel Baena, was been found dead at home yesterday, after receiving death threats. Baena’s romantic partner, was also found dead at the scene. (CNN)

Local judicial authorities say Baena was murdered with a razor blade by their romantic partner, who then killed himself. (Aristegui Noticias)

But, human rights activists say Mexican authorities have a history of dismissing murders as crimes of passion and asked for a full investigation into whether Baena’s death was related to their gender identity, reports the Guardian.

Thousands marched in Mexico City last night demanding justice for Baena, who broke through barriers in a country where LGBTQ+ people are often targeted with violence, reports the Associated Press.

Lula welcomes Brazilians who escaped Gaza

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Israel is committing the “equivalent of terrorism” in Gaza by killing innocent women and children in its war on Hamas. “Israel’s attitude toward children, toward women, is the equivalent of terrorism. There’s no other way to put it,” Lula said in his weekly social media address. (AFP)

Yesterday Lula welcomed 32 Brazilian citizens the government extricated from Gaza following a month of negotiations, reports Reuters. Lula hugged and kissed the returnees on the tarmac and said he had “never” seen “such brutal and inhuman violence against innocent people,” reports AFP.

The situation of the Brazilian citizens in Gaza had driven a diplomatic wedge between Brasilia and Israel, adding to tensions that erupted last week when the Israeli intelligence agency said publicly it helped foil a Hezbollah attack in Brazil, reports Reuters. (See last Thursday’s post.)

Regional Relations

• Argentines should choose a president who likes democracy and the Mercosur trading bloc, Lula said today, ahead of the watershed presidential runoff election on Sunday. (Reuters)

Argentina

• An inflation rate of nearly 140% is having a devastating effect in Argentina, and explains the meteoric rise of libertarian Javier Milei — who is within reach of the presidency in Sunday’s election. The firebrand political outsider has promised to solve the country’s perennial economic malaise, though economists warn his proposals will likely only inflict more pain on the average Argentine, reports the Guardian.
  
  
• Milei evoked the ire of Malvinas War veterans in Argentina after he praised Margaret Thatcher as one of “the great leaders in the history of humanity” during a debate on Sunday, reports the Guardian. (See yesterday’s post.)

Regional

• “Fears of a commodities trap are once again inflaming politics across Latin America as the world enters a new period of high commodity demand,” writes James Bosworth in World Politics Review.

Haiti

• A powerful and feared gang leader in Haiti who was once a math and physics teacher was killed in a neighborhood that he controlled for years, reports the Associated Press.

Chile

• The British dancer, choreographer and human rights activist Joan Jara, widow of the late Chilean folk singer Víctor Jara, has died in Santiago at the age of 96. (Guardian)

Critter Corner

• Dominica is creating the world’s first marine protected area for the endangered sperm whale, reports the Guardian.
  
• A series of a of incremental forest growth initiatives driven by environmentalists in Rio de Janeiro state are focused on providing an ever-larger habitat for the region’s most emblematic and endangered species, the golden lion tamarin, reports the Associated Press.

Jordana Timerman / Latin America Daily Briefing
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