El Salvador's Human Rights Ombudsman, David Morales, condemned the killing of the transgender activist Francela Méndez as an expression of “rejection” and “hate” against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual community (comunidad LGTBI). “The LGBTI population is a victim of discrimination, rejection, and intolerance, made evident by the grave violations to their human rights” and “by hate killings, especially, towards transwomen,” Morales said in a statement. Méndez was killed on May 31st in the department of Sonsonate and was part of the association “Colectivo Alejandría”.

The attorney also asked that the Prosecutor investigate the matter with “diligence,” “efficacy”, and without “discriminatory criteria.” Since 2009, the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman of El Salvador (Procuraduría de Derechos Humanos Salvadoreña) has reported the assassinations of nine members of the LGBTI community, with some crimes left unpunished to date, according to the agency. Toward the end of last March, the director of the Association Trans Communicating & Empowering  (la Asociación Comunicando y Capacitando Trans), Karla Avelar, said that some 300 people of the LGTBI community have been killed in El Salvador since 1999.