It Used to Be a Macho-City – Now It’s Run by a Female Mayor. And She’s Openly Gay

Claudia Lopez has been elected as an openly gay woman mayor – a historic first not only in Colombia, but in any capital in the Americas – showing a big improvement in the attitude towards human rights across the continent, which for centuries was considered the home of Machoism.

“Her victory sends a message that sexual, political and or religious diversity aren’t impediments to participate in politics,” says Wilson Castaneda, head of the Colombian LGBT+ rights group Caribe Afirmativo.

Being a mayor is considered the most important political post in Colombia after the presidency, and Lopez is committed to her upcoming role in the capital city of 7 million people, pledging to fight inequality, discrimination, child labor and teenage pregnancy, and to improve safety and educational opportunities.

“Bogota voted so that through citizen culture, quality education and equality we will defeat, overcome and unlearn machismo, racism, classism, homophobia and xenophobia,” said Lopez during her acceptance speech.