The tragic murder of 22-year-old model and social media influencer Maria Jose Estupinan in Colombia has alarmed the nation and is being compared to a recent killing of a Mexican influencer, underscoring the alarming rates of femicide in Latin America. Estupinan was shot on May 15 in her home in Cucuta, a city near the Venezuelan border. Magda Victoria Acosta, head of the National Gender Commission of the Colombian Judiciary, reported that the assailant, posing as a delivery person, fatally shot her after she opened the door.
Acosta described Estupinan as a vibrant young woman whose life was abruptly taken, reflecting on a tragic pattern where many women’s dreams are cut short. She noted that Estupinan had previously reported a domestic violence incident and was awaiting compensation for it at the time of her death. The commission condemned the act strongly and pledged to pursue justice for her case.
Authorities are currently investigating the murder, with widespread media coverage and social media discussions drawing parallels between Estupinan’s death and that of Valeria Marquez, a 23-year-old beauty influencer killed in Mexico just days earlier during a live stream in a salon. Officials in Jalisco, Mexico, are investigating Marquez’s death as a possible femicide, a term used for gender-based killings of women and girls. Notably, a significant percentage of female homicides in Mexico are classified as femicides.
While Estupinan’s case has raised concerns about whether it should be deemed a femicide, Acosta stressed the broader issue of violence against women in Colombia, where such crimes remain prevalent. According to Human Rights Watch, gender-based violence, including at the hands of armed groups, is widespread, and many survivors face insurmountable challenges when seeking justice, with offenders often going unpunished.
The National Gender Commission in Colombia has documented numerous cases of gender and domestic violence, highlighting the country’s troubling statistics on sexual violence and women’s rights abuses. Between January and August last year, 41 women were reported missing in Colombia, with a significant number of these cases originating from Cucuta. The northeastern region has seen a rise in militant violence, contributing to the instability and displacement of many residents.
In summary, Estupinan’s tragic death and the circumstances surrounding it spotlight the urgent need to address the pervasive issue of femicide and violence against women in Colombia and across Latin America.