A second feminicide in a week has rocked Oaxaca, as a woman was shot and killed just days after another woman was attacked with a machete. The incidents underscore a troubling rise in gender-based violence in the state.
The state of Oaxaca is once again facing scrutiny over the persistent and deadly pattern of gender-based violence following the second feminicide reported in just one week. Authorities confirmed that a woman was shot and killed in the capital city, Oaxaca de Juárez, late Thursday evening, only days after an Indigenous woman was brutally attacked with a machete in the rural municipality of Santiago Amoltepec.
The latest victim, whose identity has not been officially released, was reportedly ambushed by unknown assailants in a residential area in the southern part of the city. Neighbors reported hearing gunshots around 10:30 p.m. and alerted emergency services. Paramedics who arrived at the scene confirmed that the woman had succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. According to preliminary reports, the killing bore signs of premeditation, leading local authorities to classify the crime as a feminicide—defined in Mexican law as the murder of a woman because of her gender.
This recent killing marks the 25th feminicide in Oaxaca so far this year, a grim statistic that reflects the escalating gender violence in one of Mexico’s most culturally rich but socially challenged states. The crime has triggered a wave of outrage from women’s rights groups, local NGOs, and community leaders, who are calling for immediate government action to protect women and ensure justice for victims and their families.
Earlier this week, another horrifying act of violence shocked the region when an Indigenous woman in Santiago Amoltepec, located in the Sierra Sur region, was attacked with a machete by an alleged intimate partner. The woman survived the assault but sustained severe injuries and was airlifted to a hospital in Oaxaca City for emergency treatment. The suspect fled the scene and remains at large. That case, too, is being investigated as an attempted feminicide, raising alarm bells among advocacy organizations and citizens alike.
The combination of these two violent events in the span of just a few days has prompted renewed scrutiny of the state’s approach to tackling gender violence. Despite existing legislation aimed at preventing and prosecuting feminicide, activists argue that implementation remains inconsistent and underfunded. Organizations such as Consorcio Oaxaca and the Red Nacional de Refugios have issued public statements condemning the violence and demanding a more robust governmental response.
“We are tired of counting our dead,” said Paulina Cruz, a spokesperson for the feminist collective Mujeres de Oaxaca. “This is not just about isolated incidents; this is about a systemic failure to value and protect women’s lives. We need immediate action, not just empty promises and condolences.”
Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara issued a brief statement Friday morning expressing his administration’s commitment to pursuing justice in both cases. He acknowledged the pervasive threat that gender-based violence poses to the state’s Indigenous and rural populations, where cultural and economic barriers often prevent women from seeking help or reporting abuse.
According to the state’s Attorney General’s Office, special units trained in gender violence are now involved in the investigations of both cases. However, skepticism remains high among civil society groups, many of whom accuse authorities of failing to pursue investigations with the urgency and sensitivity these crimes demand. In past cases, delays in response, mishandling of evidence, and lack of follow-through have frequently resulted in impunity for perpetrators.
The issue of feminicide in Oaxaca is deeply intertwined with broader social and economic inequalities. The state has one of the highest rates of poverty in the country, particularly in Indigenous and rural areas, where access to education, healthcare, and legal support is often limited. Gender roles deeply entrenched in traditional norms can further exacerbate the vulnerability of women, making them less likely to report abuse and more likely to face reprisals if they do.
Recent data from Mexico’s Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP) indicates that Oaxaca consistently ranks among the top ten states for reported cases of feminicide. Nationwide, Mexico recorded over 850 feminicides in 2024, with the true number likely higher due to underreporting and misclassification of crimes. Feminist movements in the country have been pushing for more accurate data collection, better support systems for survivors, and harsher penalties for perpetrators.
International human rights organizations have also turned their attention to the situation in Mexico, citing feminicide as one of the country’s most pressing human rights issues. The United Nations has repeatedly called on Mexican authorities to allocate more resources to gender violence prevention programs and to establish specialized courts that can handle feminicide cases with the expertise and sensitivity they require.
For many in Oaxaca, the two recent acts of violence are stark reminders of the dangers women face in everyday life. Candlelight vigils are being organized across the state, with demonstrations planned for this weekend in Oaxaca City, Juchitán, and Huajuapan de León. Organizers are calling for a state-wide alert and emergency protocols to be activated to address the ongoing crisis.
Some local politicians have echoed these calls. In a session held Friday morning in the state congress, Deputy Lizbeth Concha proposed a motion to increase the budget for women’s shelters and support services. She also called for an audit of all unresolved feminicide cases in the state from the last five years.
“There is no justice without memory,” she said in her address to the chamber. “We must remember every woman whose life was taken because of indifference, because of machismo, because of institutional silence. We owe them justice. And we owe the living the right to live without fear.”
The urgency of these words resonates across a state grappling with deep-rooted structural challenges. While Oaxaca is known worldwide for its vibrant culture, artisanal heritage, and natural beauty, it also remains a place where many women feel unsafe, unheard, and unprotected.
The voices of survivors, families of victims, and advocacy groups are growing louder, refusing to let these tragedies be dismissed as statistics or inevitable outcomes. As more people join the demand for justice, the pressure is now squarely on local and federal authorities to turn public outrage into meaningful change. For now, two families mourn, and a state watches closely, hoping that these latest tragedies will not be in vain.
