Humberto Mata Espinel
Ecuadorian politician and activist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
- LGBTQ activist
- politician
Humberto Mata Espinel | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1968 (age 57–58) Guayaquil, Ecuador |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Occupations |
|
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]