Colombia elects 1st black Vice President

Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2022. 9:13 am CST.

By Zoila Palma Gonzalez: On Sunday, environmental activist, Francia Marquez made history when she was elected as Colombia’s first Afro-Colombian Vice President.

When newly elected President, Gustavo Petro takes office on August 7, Marquez will assume her post as Vice President of Colombia.

Marquez, an environmental activist from a town in the Cauca Department became an activist at the age of 13.

Marquez had organized campaigns against a hydroelectric project and then challenged wildcat gold miners who were invading collectively owned Afro-Colombian lands.

She has reportedly faced numerous death threats for her environmental work and is recognized as a powerful spokesperson for Black Colombians.

In 2018, she was awarded the 2018 Goldman Environmental Prize for her successful efforts to remove gold miners from the collectively owned Afro-Colombian lands around her village.

Masquez has indicated that part of her mission as vice president will be to reduce inequality.

 

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