Claudia López facts for kids

Claudia Nayibe López Hernández (born on March 9, 1970) is a well-known Colombian politician. She served as a Senator for Colombia. She also ran as the vice-presidential candidate in the 2018 presidential election for the Green Alliance party. In October 2019, she made history by being elected mayor of Bogotá. She was the first woman and the first openly LGBT person to hold this important position.

About Claudia López

Claudia Nayibe López Hernández is the oldest of six children. Her parents are Elías López Reyes and María del Carmen Hernández Ruiz.

Her Education Journey

Claudia López studied finance, government, and international relations. She earned her degree from the Universidad Externado de Colombia. Later, she received a master's degree in Public Administration and Urban Politics. This was from Columbia University in New York. She also holds a Ph.D. in political science. She earned this from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Her Work and Public Life

Claudia López first became involved in public life through a student movement. This movement, called the "Seventh Ballot," helped create Colombia's 1991 Constituent Assembly of Colombia. This assembly was important for writing a new constitution.

She has worked as a consultant for the United Nations. She has also written for many news outlets in Colombia. These include the radio show Hora 20 on Caracol Radio. She also wrote for the website La Silla Vacía [es]. Her articles also appeared in the newspaper El Tiempo and Semana magazine.

As a researcher, Claudia López was known for her work on unusual election results. Her research helped uncover problems in how politics was done in Colombia. She was also known for speaking her mind about government actions. In 2009, she left her job at El Tiempo after writing an opinion piece that caused discussion.

Before becoming a senator, López was the Secretary of Social Action for Bogotá. This was during the first time Enrique Peñalosa was mayor. She is also a member of the Inter-American Dialogue, a group that discusses important issues.

Becoming a Senator

In 2014, Claudia López was elected to the Senate. She received 81,125 votes as a candidate for the Green Alliance party.

Running for President

On December 27, 2016, Senator López announced her plan to run for president of Colombia. This was for the 2018 elections. She was the first person from the Green Alliance party to announce this. Later, Antonio Navarro Wolff also announced his candidacy. On September 14, 2017, the Green Alliance party held a vote. Claudia López won and became the party's official presidential candidate.

Leading Bogotá

On October 27, 2019, López was elected mayor of Bogotá. She ran a strong campaign focused on fighting corruption. She officially became mayor on January 1, 2020. She was the first openly gay mayor of the city. She was also the first woman to be elected to this position in Bogotá. Before her, three women had served as mayor, but they were filling in for elected mayors.

Special Recognitions

Claudia López was included in the BBC's list of 100 Women. This list was announced on November 23, 2020.

Books and Articles

Claudia López was a well-known writer for Semana, El Tiempo, and La Silla Vacía. Her research into political issues was published in books. These include Parapolítica: la ruta de la expansión paramilitar y los acuerdos políticos and Y refundaron la patria: de cómo mafiosos y políticos reconfiguraron el Estado colombiano. In mid-2016, she shared her ideas on how to end the conflict with the FARC. She wrote about this in her book ¡Adiós A Las Farc! ¿Y ahora qué?.

Her Personal Life

Claudia López married Representative Angélica Lozano Correa in December 2019.

See also

In Spanish: Claudia López Hernández para niños