Leaving apart the outcomes of subsequent Sunday’s presidential elections, the reality is that Colombia could have an African-American vp for the primary time in its historical past It might be the lawyer and environmentalist Francia Elena Márquez Mina or the engineer Marelen Castillo Torres, two ladies with very completely different intentions.
Márquez, 40, is the operating mate of Gustavo Petro, a candidate for the presidency of the Historic Pact left-wing coalition, whereas Castillo, 53, was chosen by Rodolfo Hernández of the League of Governors’ anti-corruption motion.
The 2 candidates are technically stage in voting intent polls, permitting both of them to succeed Marta Lucía Ramírez, the present vp and the primary lady to carry the place in Colombia.
Each candidates had been born within the Pacific area: Márquez within the metropolis of Suárez within the division of Cauca and Castillo in Cali, the capital of the Valle del Cauca, two areas which have suffered from the hardships of the armed battle.
“Symbolically, the arrival of both of them means an essential recognition of the nation’s Afro-Colombian inhabitants, however with completely different agendas,” Cindy Caro, a professor on the Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá, tells EFE.
Francia Márquez, Gustavo Petro’s collaborator, at an occasion in March. Photograph: AFP
Marelen Castillo, who turned a speaking level in politics shortly after being launched by Rodolfo Hernández as his operating mate, former mayor of Bucaramanga, continues to be a stranger for the overwhelming majority of Colombians, since their whole skilled profession has been oriented in direction of the world of college educating.
Quite the opposite, Francia Márquez has a wider public tour because the Reflectors have lengthy been within the highlight for her excellent environmental activismparticularly since she was awarded the Nationwide Prize for Human Rights in 2015, which was adopted by the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2018, is taken into account the “Nobel Prize for the Surroundings”.
“The truth that both of them takes over the vice-presidency of Colombia doesn’t imply that they share the identical agendas, as a result of France is extra within the social discipline and Marelen is nearer to the tutorial discipline,” says Cindy Caro.
Comparable origins, completely different speeches
Hernández’s operating mate ended up in politics with no expertise within the discipline.
Married for 28 years, she comes from a household of 5 sisters, daughter of a seamstress and a civil servant.
His educational background is broad.: Bachelor’s diploma in Biology and Chemistry from the College of Santiago de Cali and Industrial Engineering from the Autonomous College of the West, additionally in Cali, she additionally has a Grasp’s diploma in Administration from the Technological College of Monterrey (Mexico) and a PhD in Pedagogy from Nova Southeastern College in Fort Lauderdale (Florida, USA).
Marelene Castillo, Rodolfo Hernández’s comrade-in-arms, at a marketing campaign occasion. Photograph: EFE
For her half, Francia Márquez, daughter of a midwife and mom of two daughters, distinguished herself on the age of 15 for her environmental management in her area and from there went into politics.
His discourse has targeted on traditionally marginalized communities and areas, with a feminist imaginative and prescient of politics, protection of dignity, justice and human rights.
Márquez entered the general public debate Racism, classism and machismo in Colombian politics; As well as, she advocates the redistribution of wealth primarily based on a imaginative and prescient of equality and justice for the inhabitants.
“Due to her profession, Francia Márquez enjoys better social and world recognition,” says Professor Caro, who remembers that the candidate for vice-presidency of the Historic Pact has the help of feminist sectors.
With that in thoughts, keep in mind that Márquez acquired recognition from Angela Davis, an American feminist and minority rights activist who has acquired quite a few awards and has additionally served in jail.
“Petro ought to put France extra within the foreground. Rodolfo Hernández not a lot, as a result of there’s extra worldwide strain for the position that France would play than for the one which Marelen would play,” suggests the professor on the Universidad del Rosario, who considers that each mirror completely different realities the same origin: Afro-Colombian ladies from the Pacific area.
Dates of the 2 candidates for the vice presidency of Colombia. /AFP
vote for girls
For the sociologist and grasp in gender research from the Nationwide College Danny María Ramírez Torres, with the arrival of an Afro-Colombian within the vice presidency, “the representativeness” of this sector of the inhabitants wins.
Moreover, Colombia joins the circle of nations that “have Afro ladies as vice presidents, as is the case in the USA (Kamala Harris) and Costa Rica (second vp, Mary Munive), and this reveals the significance of Variety and illustration within the energy eventualities,” he provides.
In Colombia particularly, the case of the African vp is going down in a context the place the inhabitants has “social calls for” that embrace elements of political illustration and calls for for rights for traditionally marginalized sectors.
This knowledgeable believes that each symbolize a milestone in politicsas a result of “they’re the chance to train management that goes past sports activities, music and different arts”.
“One other milestone is that ladies obtain political energy, and that is the place Francia Márquez is most disruptive as a result of she challenges established energy, privilege and racism, whereas Marelen is extra educational,” Torres factors out.
Francia Márquez, as a result of she is healthier recognized inside and outdoors the nation on points associated to the setting, the struggle towards racism and the protection of territories, “whereas Marelen Castillo is extra government,” concludes Ramírez.
Supply: EFE
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