For the first time since its founding in the early 1500s, Bogata, the capital of Colombia and the nation’s economic hub, has a female mayor.
Claudia Lopez, 49, will be sworn in to office as one of the most powerful politicians in Colombia — making her a symbol for women and girls in a nation plagued by human rights violations and violence against women.
An environmentalist from the Alianza Verde (Green Alliance) party, Lopez wants to turn the Bogata — perched at an altitude of 8,660 feet in the Andes Mountains — into a green city.
As a lesbian, the 49-year-old Lopez is a beacon for the LGBT community.
Her middle-class origins are seen as a repudiation of the political elites.
And, perhaps most prominently, Lopez is known for her anti-corruption platform.
A former senator, Lopez was one of 121 female candidates elected mayor in municipalities across the country.
Alhtough this wave of victories still represents only 11 percent of the overall population, Lopez’s victory is full of symbolism.
Sources: BBC News (U.K.), Time, The Bogata Post (Colombia)