Eufrosina Cruz information

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Eufrosina Cruz Mendoza (born 1 January 1979^[1] in Santa María Quiegolani, Oaxaca) is a Zapotec activist for gender equality and the rights of indigenous women and communities. In November 2010 she became the first indigenous woman in Oaxacan politics, assuming the position of deputy of the National Action Party and president of the board of the local congress. In December of the same year Eufrosina was appointed as coordinator of indigenous affairs of the National Executive Committee of the PAN.^[2] She is also the founder and director of the QUIEGO (Queremos Unir Integrando por Equidad y Género en Oaxaca) Asociación Civil, which promotes gender equality in Oaxaca.

The starting-point for her fight for gender equality was that she was not permitted to participate in the municipal elections of her home town Santa María Quiegolani, for the single reason that she is a woman. This was a valid reason according to the usos y costumbres (local traditional laws). Because of Eufrosina Cruz's fight, the constitution was later reformed to give women equal voting rights. On October 3, 2008 Cruz received the National Youth Award for her contribution to political culture, which was presented by President Felipe Calderón.

On Saturday, June 30, 2018, she was expelled from the PAN^[3] due to her opposition of Ricardo Anaya's 2018 presidential candidacy.