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

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.