What women can learn from Delcy Rodriguez

Today March 8th, I want to talk about Delcy Rodríguez

I know, I know, her name alone makes people’s heads explode. But I’m not here today to debate political theology or the good vs evil binary we see on the news. I am here to talk about one of the most interesting female figures alive

This post is for the woman who is brave enough to look beyond the consensus, who has the open mind to see things from a different perspective and dares to learn something new. If that’s not you, just move on to the next post

Most people see in Delcy a villain or a monster. And who knows, maybe they are right. But I cannot help but see something else. What I see is an aesthetic rebel, I see the daughter of a guerrilla fighter pushed to become a warrior, I see the person actually keeping a country from imploding, and I see an unforgettable lover

What I see:

1. Her slap to the face of the aesthetics of power. We live in a world where a female leader is expected to have catalog perfection: tall, blonde, and with a rehearsed smile so as not to appear aggressive. Delcy breaks that mold with a sledgehammer. She is short, dark, and severe. She doesn't use her image to seduce but to communicate that she is there to execute. Her authority emanates from detail, control, and a total lack of unnecessary adornment. She teaches us that respect is earned by being the smartest person in the room and that you can lead without being the Barbie expected of you
2. Her biography is a movie script. The daughter of Jorge Antonio Rodríguez (a leader murdered under torture in the 70s) she entered politics for a personal mission, not for a paycheck. Where some see a drive for revenge, I see a woman who turned a personal tragedy into an unshakeable sense of duty. She proves that pain channeled correctly, is the most potent drive it exists, and that our scars don’t have to be our weaknesses. They can be the fuel that makes us fireproof against social pressure and criticism
3. The most competent person in the regime. While the men put on a show in front of the cameras, she handled the logistics and kept the structure afloat. She's the one who prevented the system from collapsing due to sheer male incompetence. That she holds the highest office today is an act of justice: finally the most competent person in the room has the title it deserves. Her trajectory teaches that titles are secondary to competence and that whoever really knows how things work, sooner or later ends up in charge
4. We dehumanize strong women, but her history with Fernando Carrillo (the soap opera heartthrob who was the desire of a generation) breaks the myth of the emotionless robot. He describes her as the great love of his life and highlights her fierce loyalty. This is for all of you: you don't have to choose between being an implacable leader and a woman with passions. You can run a country and love intensely, without apologizing for a private life that doesn't fit the boss image that others project

I see a legend