Colombia's capital of Bogota elects first woman and lesbian mayor
Voters in Bogota chose their first female and lesbian mayor in the Colombian capital's history on Sunday, marking a significant step forward for women and the LGBQT movement in the country. Claudia Lopez Hernandez, a member of the Green Alliance Party, won the mayor's race on a platform of anti-corruption and advancement for rights of minorities.
Lopez, 49, won about 35% percent of the vote -- or more than 1.1 million votes -- to secure her historic victory. The mayor of Bogota is widely considered the second most important political post in the country behind the presidency.
"We showed that when we choose what unites us not only do we win, but we also change history!" she wrote on Twitter.
With the victory, she becomes the first openly lesbian mayor of a capital city in Latin America. Upon winning the election, she shared a kiss with her partner and fellow Green Alliance Party member, Angelica Lozano.
Throughout her campaign, she was known to be an ardent critic of right-wing politicians and vowed to fight government corruption. Some of her policies include an increased police presence on the streets, fighting child labor and creating better educational opportunities for people over the age of 45, according to the BBC.
"This is a momentous symbol, a sign of change and of good things to come," tweeted Renata Segura, the associate director of the Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum and friend of the couple.
