Death of Rodrigo Ventocilla
 | |
| Date | 11 August 2022 |
|---|---|
| Location |
|
| Type | Custodial death |
| Deaths | 1 |
Rodrigo Ventocilla was a 32-year old Peruvian economist, whose death occurred on 11 August 2022 at the Prof. Ngoerah/Sanglah General Hospital in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. He died in police custody after being arrested five days earlier by the Indonesian National Police after being accused of drug trafficking.
Ventocilla was in Indonesia celebrating his honeymoon after his marriage with Sebastian Marallano.[1] As per the police, he was arrested for carrying illegal drugs, and later ingested some concealed drugs during police custody, which led to his death later. However, the family of Ventocilla and LGBTQ activists argued that it was a case of racial discrimination and transphobia, while the Peruvian Foreign Ministry maintained the official account of the Indonesian authorities.
Background
Rodrigo Ventocilla (Born:3 July 1990) was a 32-year-old Peruvian economist who was studying for a postgraduate degree in international developmental public administration at the Harvard Kennedy School from which he was expected to graduate in May 2023. He was a transsexual rights activist and was a founding member of the Peruvian organization Trans Male Diversity.[2] He graduated in economics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, worked as a specialist in public budget in the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and also as an advisor to the executive director of the Lima Project of the Ministry of Education.[3]
In May 2022, Ventocilla married fellow transsexual activist Sebastián Marallano in Chile, where such a marriage is legal.[4][5] To celebrate the marriage, they decided to go on a honeymoon trip to Bali, Indonesia. They arrived at their destination on separate flights.[2][6]
Arrest and death
Ventocilla arrived at the Denpasar International Airport on 6 August 2022 on a Qatar Airways flight. He was arrested at the airport by the Indonesian National Police on charges of drug trafficking and transporting illicit substances.[6][7]
According to the police statement issued after the death of Ventocilla, his arrest was due to the detection of marijuana among his belongings, and there were two pills in a container and another package which they suspected to contain marijuana. As per the police, after the arrest, Ventocilla ingested drugs concealed from the authorities, and on 8 August, he began vomiting and was transferred to the Bhayangkara hospital for medical treatment. In the early morning of 9 August, he began to convulse and hence was transferred to the Sanglah General Hospital. At the hospital, the doctors were not able to stabilize him, and his situation worsened. As per hospital records, Ventocilla died at 3:10 p.m. on 11 August.[2][6][8]
Aftermath
An autopsy was conducted a week later, which determined that the cause of death was multiple organ failure and damage to the nervous system.[2][6] According to The Bali Sun, the police launched an investigation into the "suspected death of a Peruvian", but it not detail whether the investigation pertained to the case of alleged drug trafficking or his death in police custody.[6]
Marallano, who arrived on a separate flight, was also detained after the arrest of his partner. He was released and returned to Peru on 17 August after a social media campaign and donation drive organized by the family in association with various LGBTQ rights associations and human rights activists.[5][7] Ventocilla's remains were not repatriated immediately due to bureaucratic obstacles, and his body was returned later, and was buried in the Jardines de la Paz cemetery in Lima.[9][10]
Response
On 12 August, Dean Douglas W. Elmendorf communicated Ventocilla's death to the Harvard Kennedy School student community, and expressed his condolences to the family, while praising the work of Ventocilla as an LGBTQ rights activist, and calling for a meeting for his memory.[2]
On 23 August, Ventocilla's family published a detailed statement addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stating the facts of the case. As per the statement, the pills that the police seized among the belongings of Ventocilla were prescription medicines that had correct documents. The family reported that the authorities demanded large sum of money, almost US$200,000 for the release of both, and that both of them were subjected to violence and harassment by the police. The statement further alleged that they were denied legal assistance and they lost communication with both on 8 August. They were informed about the hospitalization only on the next day, and that the Indonesian authorities did not allow the relatives and colleagues of Ventocilla to visit him in the hospital.[2][11]
The family pointed out the helplessness of the Peruvian consul in Indonesia, Julio Eduardo Tenorio Pereyra, and there was no response from him, despite several calls and messages, until after the death of Ventocilla. They family also demanded an independent autopsy.[2][11] On the same day, Elmendorf released another statement supporting the family of Ventocilla and Marallano and calling for the early clarification of the events surrounding the case.[2]
On 24 August, the Peruvian Foreign Ministry issued a response which supported the version of the events reported by the Indonesian authorities. It stated that the incident was not a hate crime, and Indonesia has zero tolerance for drug possession. It further reported that Peruvian Consulate provided all the assistance and follow-up in the case, even though the family denied it.[12]
On 26 August, the LGBTQ community called a protest in front of the headquarters of the Peruvian Foreign Ministry.[13][14] Ventocilla's family lawyers announced legal action against Indonesian officials and demanded an apology for the Foreign Ministry's statement.[15] Susana Chavez, president of the LGBTQ rights group Promsex, released a statement against the Foreign Ministry.[10] On 28 August, a vigil was held outside the Indonesian Embassy in Lima.[4] Two days later, the Indonesian government's diplomatic mission in Peru issued a statement reaffirming the official version of its government.[16]
References
- ↑ "Bali: Transgender student dies in police custody". BBC News. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Herszenhorn, Miles J. "Harvard graduate student Rodrigo Ventocilla dies after alleged police mistreatment in Indonesia". The Harvard Crimson. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ↑ "Indonesia: Estudiante peruano de Harvard muere después de un presunto maltrato de discriminación racial y transfobia" [Indonesia: Peruvian Harvard student dies after alleged racial discrimination and transphobia abuse]. Perú21 (in Spanish). 25 August 2022. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- 1 2 Camacho, Gianna (30 August 2022). "Crimen de odio en Bali: la familia de Rodrigo Ventosilla denunció por tortura a las autoridades" [Hate crime in Bali: Rodrigo Ventocilla's family files torture complaint against authorities]. Agencia Presentes (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- 1 2 "La misteriosa muerte de economista peruano en Indonesia: viajó para celebrar su luna de miel" [The mysterious death of a Peruvian economist in Indonesia: he traveled to celebrate his honeymoon]. BioBioChile (in Spanish). 24 August 2022. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Investigation launched by Bali police after tourist dies within days of arrest". The Bali Sun. 19 August 2022. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- 1 2 "Rodrigo Ventocilla, economista peruano que estudiaba en Harvard, murió en una prisión de Indonesia en extrañas circunstancias" [Rodrigo Ventocilla, Peruvian Harvard student, dies in Indonesian prison under unusual circumstances]. Infobae (in Spanish). 24 August 2022. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ↑ "Rodrigo Ventocilla: la polémica muerte de un estudiante de Harvard trans peruano tras ser detenido por la policía en Bali" [Rodrigo Ventocilla: The controversial death of a Peruvian transgender Harvard student after arrest in Bali]. BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). 26 August 2022. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ↑ Sánchez, Milagros Gonzáles (24 August 2022). "La muerte de Rodrigo Ventocilla: familiares y amigos responsabilizan a cónsul Julio Tenorio" [The death of Rodrigo Ventocilla: family and friends blame consul Julio Tenorio]. Mano Alzada (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- 1 2 León, Jesica (28 August 2022). "El viaje sin retorno de un joven que luchaba por la justicia e igualdad" [The journey with no return of a young man who fought for justice and equality]. La República (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- 1 2 Coca Pimentel, Valeria (24 August 2022). "Consulado peruano en Indonesia no atendió pedido de ayuda de joven fallecido en Bali, según familiares" [Peruvian consulate in Indonesia did not respond to request for help from young man who died in Bali, according to relatives]. Infobae (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ↑ "Cancillería no aclara causa de muerte de uno de los dos peruanos detenidos en Indonesia" [Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not clarify cause of death of one of the two Peruvians detained in Indonesia]. RPP (in Spanish). 2022-08-24. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ↑ "Protests outside the Foreign Ministry after the death of a transgender Peruvian in Indonesia" [Protestas en exteriores de la Cancillería tras muerte de peruano transgénero en Indonesia]. Perú 21 (in Spanish). 26 August 2022. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ↑ Redacción LR (27 August 2022). "Justice demanded for Rodrigo Ventocilla, who died in Bali" [Exigen justicia para Rodrigo Ventocilla, fallecido en Bali]. La República (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ↑ "Protest over death of Peruvian in Indonesia" [Protesta por muerte de peruano en Indonesia] (video). Canal N (in Spanish). 26 August 2022. Archived from the original on 28 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ↑ "Embajada de Indonesia emitió comunicado sobre caso de peruano fallecido en Bali" [Indonesian Embassy issued statement on case of Peruvian who died in Bali]. RPP (in Spanish). 30 August 2022. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.