Francia Márquez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francia Márquez
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2023
|
|
| 13th Vice President of Colombia | |
| Assumed office 7 August 2022 |
|
| President | Gustavo Petro |
| Preceded by | Marta Lucía Ramírez |
| Minister of Equality and Equity | |
| Assumed office 1 June 2023 |
|
| President | Gustavo Petro |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Francia Elena Márquez Mina
1 December 1981 Suarez, Cauca, Colombia |
| Political party | Soy Porque Somos (since 2021) |
| Other political affiliations |
Historic Pact for Colombia (since 2021) |
| Domestic partner | Yerney Pinillo (since 2020) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | National Learning Service |
| Alma mater |
|
| Profession | Lawyer |
Francia Elena Márquez Mina (born 1 December 1981) is a Colombian activist, lawyer, and politician. She is the 13th and current Vice President of Colombia. She was born in Yolombó, a small village in the Suarez area of Cauca Department.
Francia Márquez became an activist at just 13 years old. She fought against a dam project that threatened her community. When she became Vice President, she made history. She is the first Afro-Colombian person to hold this high office. She is also the second woman to be Vice President in Colombia.
In 2018, she won the important Goldman Environmental Prize. This award recognized her efforts to stop illegal gold mining in her community. She also organized her community to make a difference. In 2019, the BBC included her on their 100 Women list. This list celebrates inspiring women from around the world.
Contents
About Francia Márquez
Francia Elena Márquez Mina was born on 1 December 1981. Her birthplace was the town of Yolombó, in the Suárez, Cauca region.
Her father was a miner, and her mother was a farmer. Francia spent her childhood moving between her grandparents' homes and her mother's home.
She first studied to become an agricultural technician. She graduated from the National Learning Service. Later, in 2020, she earned a law degree from Santiago de Cali University.
Her Fight for Justice
Protecting the Ovejas River
When Francia Márquez was 13, in 1994, she started fighting for her community. She worked to protect the Ovejas River. This river was a very important water source for everyone.
Some companies wanted to change the river's path. They planned to send its water to a large hydroelectric dam. But Francia and her community worked hard. They managed to stop this project.
Other companies wanted to mine for gold nearby. They offered to build roads and donate school supplies. Francia remembered that some people liked these offers. But others were suspicious. They worried about the river's safety.
Standing Up to Illegal Mining
Over the years, many international mining companies came to Colombia. They wanted to dig for natural resources. This led to more mining in areas like Francia's home.
In 2009, Francia helped lead protests. These protests were against plans to remove Afro-Colombians from their ancestral lands. Many of these people were small-scale miners. The government had allowed companies to mine for gold without asking the local people.
Francia and her community filed a lawsuit. They challenged the government's decision. During this time, some people in her group received threats. Sadly, some miners were even killed. But Francia and her community won! The court ruled in their favor.
In 2013, Francia became a legal helper for her community. She also worked to protect land in the Cauca Department.
The next year, illegal miners caused more damage. They drilled holes near the Ovejas river. They used mercury, which poisoned the water. Francia took legal action again. She worked with others to fix the environmental damage. But in October 2014, Francia had to leave her home. She moved to Cali with her children because of threats.
The March to Bogotá
Francia Márquez faced many threats from illegal mining. So, in 2014, she organized a long march. About 80 Afro-Colombian women walked 350 kilometers (217 miles). They walked from Cauca all the way to Bogotá, the capital city.
This march brought a lot of attention to illegal mining. People learned about the harm it caused to the environment and communities. The women arrived in Bogotá ten days later. They started protesting. They demanded an end to illegal mining.
After 22 days of protesting, Francia and her group reached an agreement. They met with the Colombian government. The government promised to act against illegal mining. In 2015, they created a special team to deal with the problem. This was a first for Colombian history.
The Colombian security forces then removed illegal mining equipment. By the end of 2016, all illegal mining was gone from La Toma. Francia's hard work inspired other communities. Her efforts also earned her international praise. She received the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2018 for her success.
Working for Peace
In December 2014, Francia Márquez went to Havana, Cuba. She took part in peace talks. These talks were between the government and a group called the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
Francia explained how the conflict had hurt Afro-Colombians the most. She especially highlighted the impact on black women. She stressed that minority groups needed to be part of the peace talks. This would help ensure lasting peace.
In June 2020, Francia was chosen for the National Peace and Co-existence council. This council watches over the peace agreement. She was the council's president in 2021.
Becoming Vice President
Francia Márquez announced she would run for president in April 2021. This was during the National Feminist Convention. Many groups supported her campaign.
She spoke up for women, Afro-Colombians, and indigenous communities. These groups have often been left out of Colombian politics.
In the March 2022 primary elections, Francia got many votes. She received 783,160 votes. This was a historic number. It placed her second, after Gustavo Petro.
On 23 March 2022, she agreed to be Gustavo Petro's running mate. This meant she would run for Vice President with him. Francia promised to move the Vice President's office to Medellín if they won. Petro said Francia would work to improve equality for all groups. He also promised to create a new Ministry of Equality. Francia would lead this ministry.
During the campaign, Francia Márquez and Gustavo Petro faced safety concerns.
On election day, 29 May, their team came in first. They moved on to the final round of voting. They faced Rodolfo Hernández and Marelen Castillo. Francia and Petro won the second round on 19 June.
After her victory, Francia Márquez said their government would not "expropriate anyone." She also said that racist attacks were the biggest challenge she faced during the campaign. Francia became Vice President on 7 August 2022.
Minister of Equality and Equity
In July 2023, Francia Márquez became the Minister of Equality and Equity. This new ministry was promised during the 2022 presidential campaign.
This role focuses on making sure everyone has equal opportunities. It works to help different groups in Colombia. In May 2024, a court ruled that this ministry would close in 2026.
Her Role as Vice President
Márquez officially became Vice President on 7 August 2022. She also took on the role of Minister for Women and Equality in the government.
In January 2023, Francia Márquez spoke at the UN Security Council. She asked them to hold a meeting in Colombia. This was to support peace efforts in the country.
She also had another close call in January 2023. Police found an explosive device on the road to her home. This showed the ongoing threats to her safety.
Francia Márquez has faced some criticism. People have questioned her living arrangements. She chose to live in a private home instead of the official Vice President's house. She also used a helicopter for travel. She explained that the president suggested this for her safety. She had faced several attacks and wanted to stay safe.
.jpg)
In May 2023, Francia Márquez began a trip to Africa. She wanted to build stronger connections between Colombia and African countries.
She visited countries like South Africa, Kenya, and Ethiopia.
On 13 May 2023, she met with leaders in South Africa. She invited them to help with peace talks in Colombia. South Africa agreed to support these efforts. They also talked about making it easier for people to travel between Colombia and South Africa.
Later, on 17 May 2023, she met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia. They celebrated Colombia reopening its embassy in Ethiopia after 50 years. On 18 May, she met with President Sahle-Work Zewde. The President welcomed her with the words, "Welcome to your roots."
On 1 July 2023, Francia Márquez officially became the Minister of Equality and Equity.
On 28 August 2023, she met with the Canadian Minister of International Development. They discussed Canada's support for projects promoting gender equality.
The next day, 29 August 2023, she spoke before Congress. She talked about government programs and resources. These would help social programs. She defended a program called "Youth in Peace." This program aims to help young people leave criminal groups.
On 4 September, Márquez traveled to Kenya again. She attended the African Climate Summit.
From 6-7 September 2023, Márquez visited Ghana. She worked to strengthen relations between Ghana and Colombia. She noted this was the first meeting between leaders from both countries in 30 years.
On 11 September, she met with the Deputy President of Kenya. He was in Colombia for the World Forum of Coffee Producers.
On 3 October 2023, Márquez visited Popayán, Cauca. She led an event where the "government listens." Some people at the event expressed their concerns.
On 29 November 2023, Márquez met with the Duchess of Edinburgh. They met at a center for women who were victims of conflict. They discussed the women's experiences and needs.
On 14 December 2023, Márquez met with Pope Francis. She later shared that the Pope sent a message of love, joy, and hope to Colombia. He encouraged everyone to keep working for peace, social justice, and dignity.
On 1 May 2024, Márquez joined marches for pension reform. This was part of International Workers' Day celebrations. She gave a speech. She responded to comments from a former vice president. He had suggested that indigenous people were paid to attend marches. Márquez firmly stated, "To Mr. former Vice President Francisco Santos, the indigenous people are not rented."
See also
In Spanish: Francia Márquez para niños
- Afro-Colombians
- Black women
- Environmental activists
- Environmentalism
- Feminism
- List of feminist women of color
- List of Goldman Environmental Prize winners
- List of female deputy heads of state
