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Colombia's Capital, Bogotá, Elects First Woman and Lesbian Mayor

Claudia Lopez

Claudia Lopez was elected to a position considered second in importance only to the presidency in Colombia.

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Bogota, the capital city of Colombia, has elected its first woman and first out LGBTQ mayor.

Claudia Lopez, a lesbian, was elected Sunday to a position considered second in importance only to the presidency in the South American nation, the BBC reports. She received about 35 percent of the vote, while her closest rival, Carlos Galan, had about 32 percent. The incumbent, Enrique Penalosa, was not up for reelection.

Lopez, a member of the center-left Green Alliance, ran on a platform of fighting corruption, ending child labor, improving law enforcement, and promoting equal rights for all. She is known as a major critic of Colombia's right wing.

Her victory is seen as a great advance for women and LGBTQ people in the nation. "This is the day of the woman," she told supporters Sunday. "We knew that only by uniting could we win. We did that. We united, we won, and we made history!"

Her partner is Sen. Angelica Lozano, who is bisexual and in 2018 became the first out LGBTQ person elected to a legislative post in Colombia. Lopez was a senator from 2014 to 2018 but was not out when elected, the Washington Blade reports. A friend of the couple tweeted a picture of them kissing to celebrate Lopez's win.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.