The murder of 22-year-old Colombian model and influencer Maria Jose Estupinan has sent shockwaves through the country, drawing parallels to the killing of Mexican influencer Valeria Marquez just days prior. Estupinan was shot by a suspect disguised as a delivery man at her home in Cucuta, a city in northeastern Colombia near the Venezuela border. According to Magda Victoria Acosta, president of the National Gender Commission of the Colombian Judiciary, Estupinan had been a victim of domestic violence and was about to receive compensation for it.
“She was a young, enterprising woman with a whole life ahead of her, but those dreams are cut short like the dreams of many women in this country,” Acosta said, strongly condemning the crime. Authorities are investigating the killing, with the commission working to deliver justice. Estupinan’s Facebook page showcased her travels and daily life, including trips to New York and California.
Similarities to Valeria Marquez’s Case
The case has been widely covered by local media and social media, with many comparing it to the May 13 shooting of 23-year-old Mexican beauty influencer Valeria Marquez. Marquez was killed during a live stream at a salon by a male intruder, with officials in Mexico’s Jalisco state investigating her death as a suspected femicide. According to Amnesty International, a quarter of female killings in Mexico were investigated as femicides in 2020, with cases reported in each of the country’s 32 states.
Widespread Violence Against Women
Acosta highlighted the sheer scale of violence against women in Colombia, where gender-based violence is widespread, including by armed groups. Survivors face obstacles in seeking care or justice, and perpetrators are rarely held accountable. Colombia’s National Gender Commission has logged thousands of cases of gender and domestic violence, including high rates of sexual violence, neglect, abandonment, and psychological violence. Some 41 women were reported missing in Colombia between January and August last year, with 34 cases in Cucuta, where Estupinan lived.
Volatile Region
Northeast Colombia has been particularly volatile in recent months, with a sharp rise in fighting between militant factions. Escalating violence in the Catatumbo region displaced tens of thousands of people in January, many of whom flocked to Cucuta, where Colombia’s military deployed thousands of soldiers and special forces.