José Arroyo Cabrera

José Arroyo Cabrera
Born (1981-01-12) January 12, 1981
Pujilí, Ecuador
Alma materArmed Forces University – ESPE
Occupations
  • Politician
  • designer
  • LGBTQ activist

José Alcides Arroyo Cabrera (born January 12, 1981) is an Ecuadorian designer, politician, and activist. Cabrera has served as the Mayor of Pujilí since May 2023.[1] Cabrera became the first openly LGBT person to be elected Mayor of a city in the history of Ecuador. [2][3]

Biography

Alcides Arroyo Cabrera was born on January 12, 1981, in the Ecuadorian canton of Pujilí.[2] He did his primary education in the Mixed Fiscal School of Pujilí, and high school in the Province School of Cotopaxi.[2] He studied at the Regional Autonomous University of the Andes, at the Technical University of Ambato, and at the Higher Aeronautical Institute (today University of the Armed Forces of Ecuador),[2] where he obtained the title of Engineer in Design, a bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration, and a postgraduate in Political Science and Public Administration.

Political career

Candidacy for mayor of Pujilí

In 2022, Arroyo was elected candidate by his party the Citizen Revolution Movement[4] to lead the coalition Cantonal Union for Change to occupy the Mayor's Office of Pujilí in the 2023 sectional elections.[5] Among his main campaign proposals were the improvement of the drinking water and sewerage system, the canton's health system, and the construction of community spaces.[3]

On September 18, 2022, he suffered an attack when two men stabbed him with a knife in his arms and abdomen.[6] According to a statement issued by the Cantonal Union for Change, the attack was for political reasons,[5] as he was preparing to make a complaint about alleged acts of corruption in the administration of the then mayor, Luis Ugsha. The inhabitants of Pujilí held a march to demand justice for the case.[7]

During the election campaign, he was the subject of homophobic attacks by Mayor Luis Ugsha, who sought re-election and described LGBT people during a political rally as "a plague" and "a demon against the law of God."[8] These statements were rejected by LGBT rights groups such as Voto LGBT+, in addition to the country's Secretary of Women and the human rights organization Fundamedios.[9][3]

In the elections on February 5, 2023, Arroyo received 63.7% of the votes, making him mayor-elect of Pujilí;[8] this made him one of the elected mayors with the highest vote and the first openly LGBT mayor in the history of the country.[3] After winning the election, he said in an interview that his victory was a "clear sign that stereotypes and paradigms have been broken" and "giant steps were being taken to achieve rights."[2]

Mayor of Pujilí

On May 14, 2023, Arroyo was inaugurated as mayor of Pujilí.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Pujilí eligió mayoritariamente como alcalde a José Arroyo, candidato identificado con la comunidad LGBTI". El Universo. 2023-02-06. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  2. ^ a b c d e Rosero, Ana (2023-02-09). "Pujilí hizo historia al elegir a José Arroyo Cabrera, un alcalde LGBTIQ+". El Comercio. Archived from the original on 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  3. ^ a b c d Carreño, Víctor Hugo; Rivas, Diego (2023-02-13). "Ecuador tendrá por primera vez un alcalde abiertamente gay. ¿Por qué es simbólico su triunfo?". Edición111. Archived from the original on 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  4. ^ "Candidato identificado con la comunidad LGBTI ganó alcaldía de Pujilí". El Diario. 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  5. ^ a b González, Miguel (2022-09-19). "José Arroyo Cabrera, candidato a la Alcaldía de Pujilí, fue apuñalado". Expreso. Archived from the original on 2022-09-21. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  6. ^ "Quién es José Arroyo, el nuevo alcalde de Pujilí identificado con la comunidad LGTBIQ+". TC Televisión. 2023-02-09. Archived from the original on 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  7. ^ Longares, Anna (2022-09-19). "Noticias Apuñalan a José Arroyo Cabrera, candidato a la Alcaldía de Pujilí ¿Cuál es su estado de salud?". Metro Ecuador. Archived from the original on 2022-10-05. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  8. ^ a b Carrasco, Marco (2023-02-08). "Discurso homofóbico del alcalde no caló en Pujilí, donde ganó José Arroyo, de la comunidad LGTBIQ+". Ecuavisa. Archived from the original on 2023-02-09. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  9. ^ "Comunidad LGBT+ exhorta al candidato a la Alcaldía de Pujilí Luis Ugsha a ofrecer disculpas públicas por sus comentarios homofóbicos". El Universo. 2023-01-31. Archived from the original on 2023-02-01. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  10. ^ "Sesión Inaugural del Nuevo Concejo Municipal de Pujilí". www.facebook.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-05-15.
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