The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have begun the first day of their Colombian tour, warmly welcomed by their host, Vice President Francia Marquez. The invitation came after Marquez was moved by the Netflix documentary.
However, Marquez is far from the typical dignitary or career politician, He rose from humble beginnings and survived numerous assassination attempts to reach the top of national politics.
In 2022, the 42-year-old made history by becoming Colombia's first black vice president, in a country where the large black population often faces adversity. discrimination. The left-wing environmental activist mobilized a large number of displaced voters, prompting the New York Times to call her a “national phenomenon.”
Francia Marquez revealed that a major reason for inviting Prince Harry and Meghan was because their story “touched” her. She said: “I saw the Netflix series about their lives, their story and that touched me and motivated me to say that this is a woman who deserves to come to our country and tell her story and that her exchange will undoubtedly be an empowerment for so many women in the world.”
Ms. Marquez's rise to Colombia's second-highest office is all the more extraordinary given her background. In a country where politics often requires wealth and formal education, Ms. Marquez has certainly broken the mold, reports the mirror.
She began her journey as a cleaner and housekeeper and quickly became a notable figure in southern Colombia through her activism for the rights of Afro-Colombian miners against the encroachments of international corporations. Her efforts began at the young age of 13 and after years of advocacy, Marquez led a major march to Bogota, putting the miners’ struggle in the national spotlight.
By 2014, Marquez had become an advocate for Afro-Colombian women and was instrumental in pushing for a resolution to the long-running conflict between the Colombian government and the Marxist FARC rebels. Her speech at the 2014 Havana peace talks highlighted the disproportionate impact of the conflict on black women, amid a death toll of over 220,000.
Eight years later, Marquez threw her hat into the political ring, announcing her candidacy for vice president at a feminist conference. Her campaign revolved around environmental justice and the defense of marginalized black and indigenous communities in Colombia.
However, her stance came at great risk, including numerous death threats and an assassination attempt at a campaign rally, where she was targeted by “laser beams” suspected of being from sniper rifles, leading to her being rushed to safety by security personnel.
After her election as vice president, a second attempt was made on her life when a bomb was discovered on the side of a road leading to her home. Marquez recounted the chilling incident: “Members of my security team found a device containing more than 7 kilos of explosive material on the road leading to my family home in the village of Yolombo, in Suarez, Cauca. It was destroyed in a controlled manner.”
Meghan MarkleThe Duchess of Sussex is no stranger to gossip and criticism, but she consistently speaks her mind. It seems that Marquez sees a reflection of her own principles in the royal couple, as evidenced by the warmth of her invitation.
Reflect on Prince HarryDuring his visit, Marquez drew connections to a trip his mother, Princess Diana, had planned to take to Colombia before her untimely death in 1997. She said: “I think Prince Harry “That he is here today, following his mother's dream to visit this country, is an opportunity to show the best of our country, to show who the Colombians are.”
“We are people who, despite setbacks, do everything we can to give the best of ourselves.”