November 05, 2019

The first gay woman leader in Latin America elected in Colombian Bogota

topic:	Election
located:	Colombia
editor:	Magdalena Rojo

Claudia López Hernández made history at the recent regional elections in Colombia. She has become the first woman elected as the mayor of the country's capital, Bogota, which is the second most important political position in the country. She is also the first lesbian to be elected into such a high position across Latin America.

López from the Green Alliance Party is a former senator and a 2018 candidate for vice president. She is known for rallying against corruption and being critical of right-wing politicians. Some of the policies she pursued include fighting child abuse and putting more police on the streets.

López received the highest number of votes in the history of regional elections, leaving the second candidate, also a liberal, Carlos Fernando Galán, 2.7 per cent behind her.

By choosing López, Bogotá voted for change.

Among those who hope for change are members of the LGBT community as well as women. While the situation is slowly changing across the region, members of the LGBT minority account for 542 homicides in Colombia over the past five and a half years, making the country one of the most dangerous in Latin America for LGBT persons. Violence against women also continues to be a daily issue. Only one month ago, the District Secretariat of Women reported that the violence on women has risen between 2016 and April 2019.

Claudia López Hernández represents voices in the Colombian capital that are rarely represented within the city and the country itself. Overall, there were only 11.8 per cent women elected as leaders of the municipalities across the country, 3 per cent less than in the last elections in 2015.

Thinking that one woman can change the violence rates or women participation in politics would be naive. However, just the mere fact that the historic number of voters gave López their votes suggests that the society is ready to fight inequalities. And an outspoken woman leader with experience in politics is needed for such a fight.

Image: Patty Suescún/CC BY-SA 4.0