Sawt Falasteen - Colombian VP accuses government of 'racism, patriarchy'

Francia Marquez, a trailblazing Afro-Colombian activist turned politico, launched an extraordinary broadside at her own colleagues, less than a year before a presidential election.

"The role of vice president has not been easy," she told an event to mark the abolition of slavery Wednesday.

"It hasn't been an easy task to govern in a country that has a racial state, and that has a government that practices racism and patriarchy."

Her comments come as Gustavo Petro -- Colombia's first leftist president -- struggles to carve a legacy before he must leave office next year.

His administration has been beset by cabinet resignations, infighting and a stalled legislative agenda.

The president has called for a general strike later this month, in an effort to force hostile lawmakers to take his flagship labor and health care reforms.

Marquez has had several public disputes with Petro, and was stripped of her role as equality minister earlier this year.

But her barbed remarks went beyond previous criticism of Petro's administration.

"When I arrived, I arrived with lots of wishful thinking," she said.

"But I've had many obstacles put in the way of realizing the hopes and dreams of my people, my community and for this country."

Afro-Colombians make up at least 10 percent of Colombia's population but are more likely than most other ethnic groups to be poor and underrepresented in government.

D.Khalil--SF-PST