One of the most important steps you can take, Mr. President-elect, is to support the movement toward inclusion that is breaking down centuries of discrimination toward indigenous peoples around our region. My own experience, as the first indigenous woman to be named minister of justice in Bolivia, offers an insight into how much has changed—as well as how much still needs to be changed. In my country, a minority of Bolivians—many schooled in foreign universities—have traditionally pursued a Western model of governance. Today, we are remaking that, and there is still much to do.

My appointment was certainly a landmark. A native Quechua speaker, I started my career as a household worker who migrated from the countryside to the city. As minister, I realized very quickly that I was only part of what needs to be a long-term process of change in attitudes and political life to bring more equality to my country.

Of the more than 9.2 million Bolivians…

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Casimira Rodríguez, Bolivia’s Minister of Justice from 2006 to 2007, was the first woman and first indigenous person to hold the position.