Pride month in Guatemala marred by killings of three LGBTQ+ people

Celebrations become month of mourning' after three murders in a week, with calls for urgent state reform

Guatemala's LGBTQ+ community is in mourning after two transgender women and a gay man were murdered in less than a week during pride month.

Andrea Gonzalez, a prominent activist and leader in the transgender women's organisation Otrans Reinas de la Noche (Queens of the Night) was shot dead on 11 June in the street near her home in Guatemala City. Her murder followed the killing of another Otrans member, Cecy Ixpata, who was assaulted and died from her injuries on 9 June in a hospital in Salama, about 50 miles north of Guatemala City. Jose Manuel Vargas Villeda, a 22-year-old gay man was also shot and killed on 14 June in Morales, 150 miles north-east of the capital.