Claudia López, Bogotá's First Woman and Queer Mayor, Marries Girlfriend

(Photo : Instagram)
Screenshot from: Claudia López' Official Instagram Account

2019 is indeed a triumphant year for Claudia López Hernández.

Following her electoral win in October as Bogotá, Colombia's first woman and queer mayor, barrier-breaker on Monday finally tied the knot with her girlfriend of three years and fellow Green Alliance Party politician, Angélica Lozano Correa, according to an article published in Remezcla.

In her Instagram account, López shared few images from the private wedding ceremony showing the pair dressed in white, holding a simple bouquet of flowers and smiling. She captioned, "Heading to the happiest moment of my life! I love you my divine Angelica! Thank you for existing and for always loving me. I promise to honor you and love you all your life! Thanks to life for this wonderful year: I graduated from the doctorate, won the Mayor's Office and married the love of my life!"

Although there were few details about the ceremony were released, López disclosed that their white pant suits were crafted by Ángel Yañez, Colombian designer.

Amidst her record-breaking success, it is worthy to note López's extraordinary journey before she was able to reach this point of her life.

The recently elected mayor has been an influential figure not only in the LGBTQ community but in the society in general, making waves in Colombia for many years both through her career and personal life. As a political analyst, she has shed light on corruption in the highest echelons of power. Personally, both López and her wife are staunch advocates for the LGBTQ community and she has been very vocal and firm in her gender preference, even sharing a passionate kiss with Lozano in October when the mayoral election results in Bogota were announced.

Upon her historic win, López declared it "the day of the woman," and thanked her diverse following for uniting and believing in her causes.

Although Colombia has permitted gay marriage since its landmark constitutional court ruling in 2016, the journey towards the couple's union wasn't an easy one. It has been a rallying cause among supporters promoting LGBT rights.

In a previous interview, Lozano said the couple has tried to marry previously but their schedules wouldn't meet, thus, making it difficult to organize the wedding.

"We told ourselves, 'We have to do it now or another four years will pass by," Lozano said. "Because Claudia's priority the next four years will be her job."

López will officially begin her role as Bogotá mayor on January 1, 2020, making her the first openly lesbian mayor in the traditionally conservative, Catholic country, but as early as now, she has recognized the major political battles she will confront when she takes office in 2020.

In an interview with CNN en Español shortly after her win in October, López noted that Colombia has been advanced in many things. "But still it's got a lot of machismo, it's a very conservative country."

Despite the legalization of same-sex marriage and adoption in Colombia, she believes there's still work to be done, including decreasing the unemployment rate of the transgender community.

According to an article published in Reuters, more than 100 LGBTQ people were killed in Colombia in 2018.