Ociel Baena

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Baena and the second or maternal family name is Saucedo.

Ociel Baena
Born(1984-12-09)9 December 1984[1]
Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico[2][3]
Died13 November 2023(2023-11-13) (aged 38)
Aguascalientes, Mexico
Other namesLe Magistrade
Alma materAutonomous University of Coahuila
Occupations
Known forFirst non-binary magistrate in Latin America

Jesús Ociel Baena Saucedo (9 December 1984 – 13 November 2023) was a Mexican activist for non-binary and LGBT+ rights and electoral magistrate at the State Electoral Court of Aguascalientes. On 1 October 2022, they became the first non-binary magistrate in Latin American history.[4][5][6]

Early years

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Baena was born in Saltillo, Coahuila, where they earned a bachelor's and master's degree in law from the Autonomous University of Coahuila and worked as lecturer of electoral law, legislative process and public management at the University for Professional Development (Unidep, 2010–2011).[7]

In 2012, they moved to Aguascalientes,[8] where they completed a doctoral degree in electoral law at the Autonomous University of Durango and worked as an electoral secretary at the National Electoral Institute (INE) and as a professor of electoral law at both the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes (UAA, 2015–2017) and Cuauhtémoc University (2012–2015).[7]

Non-binary and LGBT+ activism

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Baena was a prominent activist of non-binary and LGBT+ rights.[9] As an electoral law specialist, they advocated the inclusion of LGBT+ candidates and issues within political parties,[8][10] promoted gender-inclusive language,[8] and urged Mexican authorities to issue voting and identity documents that accurately reflect the gender identity of every holder.[8] On 17 May 2023, Baena made history by becoming the first Mexican citizen to receive a gender-neutral passport (which at the time only 16 countries were offering)[11][12] and was sworn in as a magistrate next to a rainbow flag.[13]

Their accomplishments were covered by CNN en Español in 2022[4] and the segment was nominated for the 34th GLAAD Media Awards.[14]

Death

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Baena and their partner, Dorian Daniel Nieves Herrera,[15] were found dead in their home by Baena's housekeeper on 13 November 2023.[5][16][17] According to the Aguascalientes state prosecutor, both had razor-blade wounds,[18] and the security cameras showed no third party entering their home after they arrived in the early hours from a trip to Oaxaca;[10] in addition, toxicology analyses had revealed the presence of methamphetamines in Nieves Herrera's system.[19] The state prosecution service said it suspected Herrera killed Baena before taking his own life; their families, however, rejected that hypothesis.[20][21] Federal authorities said they would coordinate with state authorities to investigate the deaths, with an interior ministry official saying "it's important to not throw out any line of investigation".[21]

LGBT+ organizations organized silent vigils attended by thousands in 13 cities across Mexico, including the capital.[22][9][23] They pointed out that Baena had denounced death threats a few months earlier, when their friend and LGBT+ activist Ulises Salvador Nava was also murdered in the same city,[24] and historically Mexican police had tended to haphazardly dismiss homophobic crimes as "crimes of passion".[13][23]

References

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  1. ^ Pérez Ángeles, Vianey; Villanueva, Cristal; José Izquierdo, María; Mendoza, Eduardo (15 November 2023). "La SSP de Aguascalientes insiste en que magistrade Jesús Ociel Baena fue asesinado por su pareja". sdpnoticias. Retrieved 16 November 2023. Jesús Ociel Baena Saucedo nació el 9 de diciembre de 1984, según sus redes sociales, y destacó por ser la primera persona no binarie en ocupar un cargo de magistratura en México y en el resto de América Latina.
  2. ^ Guardiola, Magda (16 November 2023). "Sepultan a Jesús Ociel Baena: Familiares despiden al magistrade en su natal Saltillo, Coahuila". El Financiero (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Jesús Ociel Baena, Mexico's first nonbinary judge, found dead". Mexico News Daily. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023. Born in Saltillo, Coahuila, and a resident of Aguascalientes for 11 years, Baena earned a degree in law from the Faculty of Jurisprudence of the Autonomous University of Coahuila, where they also completed a master's degree in constitutional law and government policies.
  4. ^ a b "Jesús Ociel Baena, la primera persona no binaria en América Latina en llegar a un cargo de magistrado electoral" (in Spanish). CNN. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  5. ^ a b Rosete, Erika (13 November 2023). "Hallado sin vida el 'magistrade' Jesús Ociel Baena Saucedo en su casa en Aguascalientes" (in Spanish). El Pais. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Jesús Ociel Baena: Mexico's first non-binary magistrate found dead". BBC News. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  7. ^ a b Baena Saucedo, Jesús Ociel. "Síntesis curricular" (PDF). Tribunal Electoral del Estado de Aguascalientes (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d Warkentin, Gabriela (11 October 2022). "Le magistrade Ociel Baena" (in Spanish). El Pais. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  9. ^ a b Fredrick, James (14 November 2023). "'A painful loss for our community': Mexico's queer population demands answers in magistrate death". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  10. ^ a b Miranda, Fernando (14 November 2023). "Democracia inclusiva, disrupción y el infierno de la discriminación: el último mensaje que dio le magistrade en Oaxaca" (in Spanish). Oaxaca: El Universal. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  11. ^ "Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard issues first non-binary passports in Mexico and abroad". Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  12. ^ Garcia, David Alire (18 May 2023). "In Mexico, new non-binary passport can now sidestep male or female box". Reuters. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Mexico's first openly non-binary magistrate found dead at home". The Guardian. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  14. ^ "Nominees for the 34th Annual GLAAD Media Awards". GLAAD. 27 January 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  15. ^ Rodríguez, Darinka (14 November 2023). "La Fiscalía de Aguascalientes asegura que la pareja del 'magistrade' Ociel Baena le mató y se suicidó" (in Spanish). El Pais. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  16. ^ "Mexico's first openly non-binary magistrate found dead at home". Reuters. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  17. ^ Janetsky, Megan. "Mexican LGBTQ+ figure found dead at home after receiving death threats". Washington Post. Associated Press. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  18. ^ García, David Alire (14 November 2023). "Prominent non-binary Mexican activist killed with blade, says prosecutor". Reuters. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  19. ^ Rosete, Erika (16 November 2023). "Two knives, footprints and no witnesses: The murder of a judge that keeps Mexico in suspense". El País English. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  20. ^ Armstrong, Kathryn (15 November 2023). "Mexico: Murder suspected in non-binary magistrate Jesús Ociel Baena's death". BBC News. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  21. ^ a b Janetsky, Megan (14 November 2023). "Mexican officials send conflicting messages over death of LGBTQ+ magistrate". AP News. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  22. ^ "Thousands in Mexico demand justice for LGBTQ+ figure found dead after death threats". NPR. Associated Press. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  23. ^ a b Janetsky, Megan (14 November 2023). "Thousands in Mexico demand justice for LGBTQ+ figure found dead after death threats". AP News. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  24. ^ Cerbón, Mónica (13 November 2023). "Hallan sin vida al magistrade Jesús Ociel Baena Saucedo en Aguascalientes". Proceso. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
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