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| Mexico's Ruben Espinosa case: female victims treated as afterthoughts by press | Mexico's Ruben Espinosa case: female victims treated as afterthoughts by press |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| It was Alejandra Negrete’s second day working as a cleaner. The 40-year-old mother of three had previously worked in a restaurant in Mexico City, but took on the cleaning job because money was tight. | It was Alejandra Negrete’s second day working as a cleaner. The 40-year-old mother of three had previously worked in a restaurant in Mexico City, but took on the cleaning job because money was tight. |
| On the morning of Friday 31 July, she left home at 7.30am dressed in her trademark platform heels and skinny jeans. Before setting out, she had complained to her 13-year-old daughter Arleth about the two-hour commute ahead of her, but promised she would be home by 7pm. | On the morning of Friday 31 July, she left home at 7.30am dressed in her trademark platform heels and skinny jeans. Before setting out, she had complained to her 13-year-old daughter Arleth about the two-hour commute ahead of her, but promised she would be home by 7pm. |
| She never returned. | She never returned. |
| At first, her family supposed she had impulsively gone out with friends after work, but they soon learned that Negrete had been caught up in a massacre with suspected political motives which has sent shockwaves through Mexico. | |
| Negrete was the “domestic worker” killed last month alongside campaigning photojournalist Ruben Espinosa and social activist Nadia Vera in the middle-class neighbourhood of Narvarte. | Negrete was the “domestic worker” killed last month alongside campaigning photojournalist Ruben Espinosa and social activist Nadia Vera in the middle-class neighbourhood of Narvarte. |
| Student makeup artist Yesenia Quiróz and Colombian hairdresser Mile Virginia Martín were also murdered. | Student makeup artist Yesenia Quiróz and Colombian hairdresser Mile Virginia Martín were also murdered. |
| Related: 'Journalists are being slaughtered' – Mexico's problem with press freedom | Related: 'Journalists are being slaughtered' – Mexico's problem with press freedom |
| The massacre has prompted a string of protests in Mexico and coverage around the world, much of which has focused on Espinosa and Vera – the most likely targets of the attacks. Both had both sought refuge in the capital after being threatened and harassed while working in the state of Veracruz. | The massacre has prompted a string of protests in Mexico and coverage around the world, much of which has focused on Espinosa and Vera – the most likely targets of the attacks. Both had both sought refuge in the capital after being threatened and harassed while working in the state of Veracruz. |
| But there is growing anger about the way coverage of the murders has ignored and belittled the other three victims – or even implied that some of them were to blame. | |
| Vera, Quiróx and Martín were allegedly tortured, stripped and raped before being killed. Negrete’s family have been told she died from a single shot to the head in the bathroom, with no evidence of sexual violence. | Vera, Quiróx and Martín were allegedly tortured, stripped and raped before being killed. Negrete’s family have been told she died from a single shot to the head in the bathroom, with no evidence of sexual violence. |
| For Negrete’s family, the agony of grief has been compounded by the way she has been sidelined in death, said her mother Carolina Avilés Mendoza. | |
| “We are outraged and upset at the way she’s been referred to only as a domestic worker or the fifth victim, like she is nothing more than a number and unimportant,” she told the Guardian. | “We are outraged and upset at the way she’s been referred to only as a domestic worker or the fifth victim, like she is nothing more than a number and unimportant,” she told the Guardian. |
| “Alejandra was a person too: she was a loving mother, she was kind and generous, loved to dance and sing and have fun, and she was my firstborn child. Her death is a terrible loss – yet to the world she is just a domestic worker.” | “Alejandra was a person too: she was a loving mother, she was kind and generous, loved to dance and sing and have fun, and she was my firstborn child. Her death is a terrible loss – yet to the world she is just a domestic worker.” |
| The family’s outrage has been reflected on social media, where millions of messages have been posted in an impromptu campaign insisting that women’s lives matter. | |
| Last weekend domestic workers took to the streets of Mexico City wearing bright green rubber gloves and holding signs with the slogan #yotenombro – I name you – to demand equal justice for Negrete. | Last weekend domestic workers took to the streets of Mexico City wearing bright green rubber gloves and holding signs with the slogan #yotenombro – I name you – to demand equal justice for Negrete. |
| “Alejandra is being discussed as collateral damage, as just another invisible domestic worker not even worth naming,” said Mauricio Patron from the domestic workers association CACEH (the Centre for Training and Support for Domestic Workers). | “Alejandra is being discussed as collateral damage, as just another invisible domestic worker not even worth naming,” said Mauricio Patron from the domestic workers association CACEH (the Centre for Training and Support for Domestic Workers). |
| “Her death should be investigated equally, without taking attention away from the fact it was a politically motivated crime.” | “Her death should be investigated equally, without taking attention away from the fact it was a politically motivated crime.” |
| The other two forgotten victims, Quiróz and Martín, have been smeared by some local media, often with information which appears to have been leaked by the prosecutor’s office. | The other two forgotten victims, Quiróz and Martín, have been smeared by some local media, often with information which appears to have been leaked by the prosecutor’s office. |
| Quiróz, 18, a student beautician, was born in Michoacán but grew up in Mexicali, the capital of the border state Baja California. | Quiróz, 18, a student beautician, was born in Michoacán but grew up in Mexicali, the capital of the border state Baja California. |
| Press articles have concentrated on her distant relationship to the disgraced former governor of Michoacán Jesús Reyna García – who was detained in 2014 for links to the Knights Templars cartel, and is married to Quiróz’s mother’s cousin. | Press articles have concentrated on her distant relationship to the disgraced former governor of Michoacán Jesús Reyna García – who was detained in 2014 for links to the Knights Templars cartel, and is married to Quiróz’s mother’s cousin. |
| Arguably, the most tendentious coverage has involved Martín, the 30-year-old Colombian hairdresser who moved to Mexico in 2010 with dreams of becoming a model. | Arguably, the most tendentious coverage has involved Martín, the 30-year-old Colombian hairdresser who moved to Mexico in 2010 with dreams of becoming a model. |
| In coverage of the massacre, she was first at first referred to as “Simone”, then “Nicole”, and then simply “La Colombiana”. | In coverage of the massacre, she was first at first referred to as “Simone”, then “Nicole”, and then simply “La Colombiana”. |
| Reports that she was the owner of a Ford Mustang used by one of the murder suspects as a getaway vehicle led to wild speculation over how a poor hairdresser and wannabe model could legally afford such a flash car. | Reports that she was the owner of a Ford Mustang used by one of the murder suspects as a getaway vehicle led to wild speculation over how a poor hairdresser and wannabe model could legally afford such a flash car. |
| On Monday, prosecutors said that the two wanted suspects – allegedly a parking attendant and juggler – had been invited to the house by Martín. | On Monday, prosecutors said that the two wanted suspects – allegedly a parking attendant and juggler – had been invited to the house by Martín. |
| Catalina Ruíz-Navarro, a commentator with the Colombian daily El Espectador, condemned the way Martin has been portrayed. | Catalina Ruíz-Navarro, a commentator with the Colombian daily El Espectador, condemned the way Martin has been portrayed. |
| “Everything indicates that the Colombian will be the scapegoat for this heinous crime. The word Colombian is being used as a euphemism for prostitute or drug trafficker, as if being a Colombian were a crime itself,” she said. | “Everything indicates that the Colombian will be the scapegoat for this heinous crime. The word Colombian is being used as a euphemism for prostitute or drug trafficker, as if being a Colombian were a crime itself,” she said. |
| At Negrete’s colourful house in Colonia San Rafael Chamapa on the north-western fringe of Mexico City, the family gathered around a homemade shrine which includes floral crosses, a statue of Saint Jude the Apostle, her favourite pastries and a sorrowful picture of her in a coffin drawn by her five-year-old grandson. | At Negrete’s colourful house in Colonia San Rafael Chamapa on the north-western fringe of Mexico City, the family gathered around a homemade shrine which includes floral crosses, a statue of Saint Jude the Apostle, her favourite pastries and a sorrowful picture of her in a coffin drawn by her five-year-old grandson. |
| According to her daughters, Negrete had always been wary of going into Mexico City because she’d been previously mugged, but she’d taken the cleaning job because the family needed the money. | According to her daughters, Negrete had always been wary of going into Mexico City because she’d been previously mugged, but she’d taken the cleaning job because the family needed the money. |
| “She didn’t want to work in Mexico City, but she always did what she needed to do to help us. Life is going to be very hard without her,” said her eldest daughter Adriana Mejía Negrete, 24. | “She didn’t want to work in Mexico City, but she always did what she needed to do to help us. Life is going to be very hard without her,” said her eldest daughter Adriana Mejía Negrete, 24. |
| The family said they have not yet been been visited or interviewed by prosecutors, and the account they give of the day’s events does not tally with the official version of events. | The family said they have not yet been been visited or interviewed by prosecutors, and the account they give of the day’s events does not tally with the official version of events. |
| Prosecutors claim the three male suspects entered the building around 2pm and left at 3pm, having tortured, bound, raped, killed and packed a suitcase full of stolen items in less than 50 minutes. | Prosecutors claim the three male suspects entered the building around 2pm and left at 3pm, having tortured, bound, raped, killed and packed a suitcase full of stolen items in less than 50 minutes. |
| Normally Alejandra remained in close contact with her daughters throughout the day, but according to the family, on the day of the massacre, her mother’s phone was switched off at around 11am. | Normally Alejandra remained in close contact with her daughters throughout the day, but according to the family, on the day of the massacre, her mother’s phone was switched off at around 11am. |
| After that her calls went to voicemail – raising the possibility that the massacre took place several hours earlier than prosecutors have suggested. | After that her calls went to voicemail – raising the possibility that the massacre took place several hours earlier than prosecutors have suggested. |
| Diana Negrete, 36, said: “My sister was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now we want the authorities to do their job and bring her justice. We are scared to get too involved because the case is so big, and we are worried about what could happen to her children, but she deserves justice. They all do.” | Diana Negrete, 36, said: “My sister was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now we want the authorities to do their job and bring her justice. We are scared to get too involved because the case is so big, and we are worried about what could happen to her children, but she deserves justice. They all do.” |