Proud Afro-Colombian Vice President candidate, Francia Márquez, wearing hearings with the shape of Africa. File photo.
The Afro-Colombian candidate for the Vice Presidency of Colombia, Francia Márquez, denounced a new case of racism against her, where she was called “King Kong.”
This Wednesday, April 20, Francia Márquez said: “A while ago, when I was having lunch, a call came in and I answered it. When I asked: ‘Who is this?’ they told me: ‘Who am I talking to?’ and I said: ‘Who do you need?’ and do you know what they answered? ‘King Kong.'”
Márquez is the running mate of Gustavo Petro, candidate for the presidency of the Historic Pact for Colombia, and favorite in the polls for the upcoming presidential elections, where the second round of elections is due to take place on May 29.
The candidate asserted that this comment does not diminish her strength or discourage her: “Of course it hurts, and it hurts because racism kills,” added the 40-year-old social leader from Cauca.
Petro and Márquez have as their main adversary former mayor of Medellín Federico Gutiérrez, who will present himself as the right-wing candidate for Colombia, and who has the support of Uribismo (supporters of former president Alvaro Uribe). Petro has already declared that he would decisively win the upcoming May elections if there is no fraud and if the Colombian and international oligarchs do not attack his physical safety.
The use of the racist slur “King Kong” against Márquez was previously used in a tweet published, and later deleted, by the Colombian singer Marbelle, with whom she has had a long controversy on the communication networks that has even reached judicial venues. From there, the vice-presidential candidate has sent conciliatory messages to the artist through communication networks, despite her repeated hostile responses.
https://twitter.com/FranciaMarquezM/status/1508225194216890374
On March 27, Marquez reported that she received death threats for the second time and demanded that the right-wing government of President Iván Duque guarantee her safety.
“As if the slander, and racist acts were not enough, in less than a month they have threatened to kill me twice, along with other social leaders. President Iván Duque, I request that you guarantee my physical safety, and that of my family and the leaders mentioned here,” Márquez tweeted along with the photographs of two letters from the paramilitary group Aguilas Negras or Black Eagles, in which the group made threats against her and other progressive political and social leaders.
Featured image: Proud Afro-Colombian Vice President candidate, Francia Márquez, wearing earrings in the shape of Africa. File photo.
(HispanTV) with Orinoco Tribune content.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/DD/EF
