Alina Narciso found herself potentially facing many years in prison following her act of self-defense when she fatally injured her abusive boyfriend.
In Tijuana, Mexico, on the night of December 12, 2019, Alina Narciso was drifting off to sleep when she heard her boyfriend, Luis Rodrigo Juarez, snorting cocaine.
However, hours later, she was abruptly awakened by the sensation of a gun pressed to her head. Juarez was standing there, inquiring if she “intended to leave him once more.”
“At that moment, I felt powerless,” shared Narciso, now 28, recounting the incident. “With a single hand, he overpowered me in strength, and in his intoxicated and drug-induced state, I realized I stood no chance against him,” she told Al Jazeera.
What unfolded next would spark inquiries into self-defense laws in Mexico and prompt a reshaping of how the criminal justice system in Baja California addresses cases of gender-based violence.
Both Narciso and Juarez were serving as police officers when they crossed paths, initially meeting through their work when Narciso was just 22 years old.
However, Narciso asserted that Juarez displayed extreme control from the outset of their relationship, insisting on their constant togetherness. She also alleged instances of violence, including sexual abuse and multiple threats to her life by Juarez.
Narciso had attempted to break free on multiple occasions, but each time, Juarez made promises of change, pledging to quit drinking and seek psychological help in a desperate effort to convince her to stay.
On December 12, as they were discussing these broken promises to avoid a confrontation, Narciso chose to retire to bed. That day, Juarez had been drinking heavily.
However, the presence of the gun’s barrel abruptly startled her awake. Despite her attempts to flee, Juarez wouldn’t release her. He holstered his weapon and subjected her to a brutal assault, which involved pulling her hair, slamming her face against a door frame, and seizing her by the neck.
In the midst of this harrowing struggle, Narciso managed to seize the firearm.
