Juchitán, Oaxaca. Joselin Sosa, Yoselin Vázquez, and Violette Diamond Parker are three muxes or sexual diversity activists who have been working for over 20 years to prevent HIV/AIDS in indigenous communities in Oaxaca.
For them, prevention is the most important task, as it avoids the transmission of this virus; however, the situation is not entirely positive. In 2025 alone, 436 new transmissions have been registered, and in the last year, some 60 people have died from this illness, placing Oaxaca as the ninth state in the country with the highest number of registered cases, according to the State Council for the Prevention and Control of AIDS (COESIDA).
As activists, they point out that there is no support from the Mexican government to continue preventing AIDS, and what little they have achieved has been through the Transformándome program of the MEXFAM Foundation and some local authorities.
‘’I’ve been living with HIV for 15 years’’
Joselin Sosa lives in Tehuantepec, Oaxaca. She is an Indigenous muxe, an activist, and has been living with HIV for 15 years. For her, prevention is everything. Every day she dedicates between three and five hours to visiting her friends, and she also provides moral support to those who visit the Ambulatory Center for the Prevention and Care of AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (CAPASITS) for the first time, located in Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, or in San Bartolo Coyotepec.
“I didn’t ask to be an activist. I would suddenly find out that several friends were testing positive for HIV, so I started supporting them. Then I told my friend Violette to get involved too, and that’s what we’ve been doing,” she says. Joselin, 50, was the first director of the LGBTQ+ community in Tehuantepec, her hometown. However, she acknowledges that support from local authorities is still lacking, particularly in the area of prevention.
To manage her condition, Joselin takes a pill daily. “Living with HIV/AIDS is not easy, I know what I’m talking about. That’s why I work so hard to raise awareness. Many people discriminate against us because we’re HIV-positive, but what they don’t know is that the majority of HIV-positive individuals are heterosexual.”
‘’The government isn’t interested if HIV is on the rise’’
“We’re still seeing high numbers!” says the activist, who is wearing her traditional attire—a skirt and huipil. Joseline says that whether HIV is increasing or decreasing is of no interest to the authorities, and as proof, she points to the low budget.
“We don’t matter as HIV/AIDS patients, and I’m telling you this sincerely, because instead of contributing, they give us money. In my case, I take one pill a day, and even though I’m now HIV-positive, I still go to my appointments. However, many people who go don’t receive the full treatment; sometimes there aren’t even any reagents,” she says.
‘’San Blas, Juchitán, and Tehuantepec: HIV on the rise’’
The worst HIV cases are concentrated in San Blas Atempa, Juchitán, and Tehuantepec, three indigenous municipalities where machismo is prevalent, as Joselin acknowledges. She asserts that this machismo is reflected in the way condoms are used.
“It’s easy for husbands to say, ‘The condom bothers me,’ and that’s how wives end up getting infected, because they don’t just have one partner, but several. That’s the reality. For example, last year, in 2024, there were six transmissions; this year, 2025, we’ve already had 15, more than double,” she adds.
Another critical issue Joselin highlights is the consumption of the drug known as crystal meth, which is being used by young people, supposedly because it stimulates “sexual appetite.”
“I’m very concerned that for just 50 pesos, young people can access drugs. I’ve noticed that many lesbian women are using crystal meth, becoming addicted, and the worst part is that they don’t use condoms during sex, which only increases transmission.”
From Juchitán, Oaxaca, Yoselin Vásquez agrees that there needs to be more awareness among young people, who refuse to use condoms, even though that’s the age group with the highest transmission rates.
“HIV is a virus that is affecting younger people today, which is very alarming. Cases have been increasing, and as an activist, I’m looking for ways to bring information to schools so that young people know we can advise them on sexual and reproductive health,” she says.
‘’Discrimination, a daily reality’’
Violette Diamont Parker acknowledges that discrimination is also part of the lack of prevention, since people often reject them upon seeing them, arguing that they are the ones transmitting the virus.
“The LGBTQ+ community has been the most concerned with raising awareness about transmission, that’s why we don’t stop,” she acknowledges.
Without receiving a single penny, Violette, a theater actress, points out that to eradicate this illness, it is crucial to live without stigma.
‘’Yes, we are working’’, says COESIDA
Although the numbers show an increase in HIV cases in Oaxaca, the director of CAPACITS, Itayetzin Medina Hernández, acknowledges that they are working, that there is care for patients, and that the most surprising thing is that, thanks to rapid tests, the disease is detected in Stage 1 or 2. She explains that the Central Valleys region, the Isthmus, the coast, the Mixteca region, and the Sierra are where the highest numbers of transmissions are concentrated.
“As of the week ending November 30th, we have 436 new cases across various municipalities, with ages ranging from 16 to 35,” she adds.
She emphasizes that thanks to screening tests, they have identified asymptomatic carriers, most of whom are men, acknowledging that the most affected populations are Indigenous communities and women.
Official data reports that 60 people died from HIV-related illnesses in the last year, and nationally, approximately 15,500 new HIV cases were identified through September 2025.
Original article by Diana Manzo, Istmo Press, December 1st, 2025.
Translated by Schools for Chiapas.