Humberto Mata Espinel
Humberto Mata Espinel | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1968 Guayaquil, Ecuador |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Occupations |
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Humberto Mata Espinel (born 1967 or 1968, Guayaquil)[1] is an Ecuadorian activist and former politician. He currently serves as the manager of the VIHDA Foundation, an organization that aims to reducing HIV transmission from mothers to their children.[2]
In 2011, he became the first Ecuadorian public figure to marry a person of the same sex. The marriage took place in Argentina, and his spouse is activist Maximiliano Novoa.[3]
Biography
Mata began his secondary education at the Cristóbal Colón Salesian School in Guayaquil before continuing his studies in the United States. He earned a degree in Political Science from Harvard University and later obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pennsylvania.[1]
Political career
Mata entered politics in 1994 as part of a youth group affiliated with the Concentration of People's Forces party, led by former deputy Rodolfo Baquerizo Nazur.[1]
In 1997, he founded the Fuerza Ecuador Movement.[1] He ran for prefect of Guayas Province in the 2000 sectional elections, but lost to conservative candidate Nicolás Lapentti Carrión.[4] One of his main campaign proposals was to increase the province’s autonomy.[5] In the 2002 presidential election, Mata and his movement supported the candidacy of socialist León Roldós Aguilera.[6]
In the 2004 sectional elections, Mata again ran for prefect of Guayas, finishing second to Lapentti.[7] He also ran unsuccessfully for the 2007 Constituent Assembly, where he opposed the policies of President Rafael Correa.[8]
Following these campaigns, Mata withdrew from political life.[5]
Personal life
Before publicly coming out as gay, Mata was in a relationship with dancer and television presenter Carla Sala.[9]
In April 2011, he announced his marriage to activist Maximiliano Novoa in Argentina,[10][2] becoming the first Ecuadorian public figure to enter into a same-sex marriage.[9] Actress and news anchor Érika Vélez later stated that the couple had been in a relationship for five years at the time of the wedding.[11]
After coming out, Mata said he had concealed his sexual orientation during his political career to prevent it from being used against him or his family.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d Benavides, Ana Angulo (23 August 1999). "'Queremos una revolución...'". Hoy. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ a b "Mediante carta, Humberto Mata confirma su boda". El Universo. 1 April 2011. Archived from the original on 7 September 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "Casados en Argentina". El Diario. 2011-03-31. Archived from the original on 2024-07-27. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ "Humberto Mata caminó de la mano de Carla Sala". El Universo. 18 October 2004. Archived from the original on 2 April 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ a b c Vaca, Fermín (2018-04-02). "La diversidad sexual en la encrucijada política". PlanV. Archived from the original on 2018-04-09. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
- ^ Quintero, Rafael (2005). Electores contra partidos en un sistema político de mandos. Quito: Abya Yala. ISBN 978-9978-22-542-4.
- ^ "Nebot y Moncayo, reelectos". El Universo. 18 October 2004. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "'Aunque lo niegue mil veces, el Gobierno tiene un plan para desdolarizar el país'". El Universo. 10 July 2007. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ a b "¡Humberto Mata se casó con Maximiliano Novoa!". La Hora. 30 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "Humberto Mata habla de su homosexualidad". El Diario. 1 April 2011. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
- ^ "Hace 5 años se conocen Humberto Mata y Novoa". El Diario. 1 April 2011. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.