Who is Valeria Márquez?
Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old Mexican influencer with over 95,000 followers on TikTok, was tragically killed this Tuesday in Jalisco, western Mexico, according to local authorities. She was known for sharing beauty and lifestyle content on her videos, some of which garnered nearly 800,000 views.
The Incident
The crime occurred around 18:30 local time (00:30 GMT on Wednesday) at a beauty salon owned by Márquez in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, Jalisco’s capital. Moments before the incident, during a live broadcast, Márquez said, “He’s coming.” Soon after, the connection went silent, and she was shot multiple times, leading to her death.
- Márquez had mentioned earlier in the live broadcast that someone visited the salon when she wasn’t there to deliver a “costly gift.”
- Local police responded to a citizen’s report and confirmed Márquez’s death. According to the investigation, a man entered the establishment and fired shots at her.
- Prosecutors are treating the case as a “femicide” and are gathering witness testimonies and evidence to solve the crime.
Feminicidios in Latin America
Mexico, along with Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay, ranks fourth in Latin America and the Caribbean for the highest feminicide rates, with 1.3 female deaths per 100,000 women in 2023, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Jalisco, one of Mexico’s 32 states, ranks sixth in homicide rates since Claudia Sheinbaum took office as mayor of Mexico City in October 2024, with 906 recorded cases according to data consultancy TResearch.
- Gender-based violence is a significant issue in Mexico, with 70% of women over 15 having experienced some form of aggression at least once in their lives, according to UN Women.
- If feminicides and intentional homicides are combined, the average number of killings of girls and women is about 10 per day, as reported by the UN.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who was Valeria Márquez? Valeria Márquez was a 23-year-old Mexican TikTok influencer known for her beauty and lifestyle content.
- What happened to Valeria Márquez? She was killed during a live TikTok broadcast when an assailant entered her beauty salon and shot her.
- Why is this case significant? This incident highlights the alarming issue of gender-based violence in Mexico, where feminicides are prevalent.
- What is the context of feminicides in Latin America? Mexico, along with other countries in the region, faces high rates of feminicides, reflecting a broader problem of violence against women.
