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Colombian activists Cristina Villarreal and Ana Cristina González Veléz appear on the list of the 100 most influential personalities in the world in 2022, published this Monday by ‘Time’ magazine. The reason chosen by the American publication is its commitment and leadership regarding the decriminalization of abortion in Colombia.
They have managed to move a country. This is how the Colombian pro-abortion activists Ana Cristina González Veléz and Cristina Villareal have been described in the renowned ‘Times’ magazine, who are among the most influential people in the world this year according to the American publication.
Characterized as “brilliant” women, “full of infinite endurance, conviction and passionate commitment”, the pro-abortion activists appear in the ‘Pioneers’ section of the list, in reference to the historic decision in February of this year by the Constitutional Court, of decriminalize abortion up to the 24th week of pregnancy.
“Despite the influence of the religious right in the country,” the two feminists made the decriminalization of abortion a reality for Colombian women. Both are part of the ‘Causa Justa’ movement promoted by ‘La Mesa por la Vida’ and ‘La Salud de las mujeres’, organizations founded by Cristina Villareal, a psychologist and former director of the organization ‘Oriéntame’ in Colombia.
Ana Cristina González Veléz is a doctor and doctor in ‘Bioethics’, former National Director of Public Health of Colombia and founder of the Medical Group for the Right to Decide, co-founder of ‘La Mesa’ and consultant for several international organizations.
“What Ana Cristina and Cristina did is remarkable. It gives us hope for the future of access in the US, despite what is happening with Roe vs. Wade. It empowers women in Poland (…) to say: ‘OK, our countries are different, but if they can do it, we can get up and try again,’ writes Irish feminist and activist Ailbhe Smyth in the magazine.
The recognition of a great and long struggle
The feminist González Valéz declared in a tweet after the publication of the list, that her designation is a “great honor” and “a recognition of our work as ‘La Mesa por la Vida y la Salud de las Mujeres’ and ‘Causa Justa’ , which allowed us a historic ruling on abortion.”
In an interview with ‘El País’ from Spain, the activist said: “It was something unexpected, unimaginable. I had to verify that it wasn’t a joke and then it gave me a bit of dizziness. Although I have a professional career that I have been concerned with building for 25 years, at the center of my work has not been the struggle to be recognized, but to advance an agenda that I deeply believe is that of feminism and equality for women. women”.
In addition, for her “it is a joy to feel that such intense work is recognized, and it is a message of hope for women and for those of us who fight in the field of rights trying to achieve things that sometimes seem invisible or as controversial as they can be. a conquest in the field of abortion, which is basically a conquest in the field of freedom for women”.
Three other Latinos have been highlighted in ”Time”s list: the Brazilian indigenous leader Sonia Guajajara, the Colombian creator of the bank ‘Nubank’ David Veléz and the Chilean president Gabriel Boric.
with EFE
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