WOMEN, LATIN AMERICA, SEAPORTS AND ME
When I received the assignment from the MAMla network, through my friend and great professional Elvia Bustavino, to collaborate with their Chronicles, I was thinking and I asked myself: Should you give your vision on the situation of gender equality/inequality in the Latin American port sector?... and my first answer was categorical: NO.
I said to myself, you are not an expert on the subject and, besides, it is a very sensitive topic to make a mistake, even accidentally. So I had it clear: NO is NO... and I was not going to do it.
But the days went by and I started to prepare a nice article about the current situation of port digitalization to send it to the MAMla network... but there was something inside me that did not make me very happy.
And, then, an important thought came to me: "Let's see Migue, all these women have been fighting for years against unfair situations in Latin ports... and you chicken out when it comes to writing an article?"
I quickly realized that this is not my usual behavior. Those who know me know that I tend more towards risk than comfort. So, I decided to be brave (or maybe reckless) and write a few lines about Gender Equality in the Latin American maritime and port sector and tell my personal experience about it: starting in 2014, which is the year I first visited this beautiful part of the world.
Well, now that I look at it in detail, I can tell you, with a big smile of happiness, that from 2014 to 2022 the panorama of women in this traditionally so masculine sector has changed, it has changed a lot and in great part thanks to many of the people, I am going to mention.
I remember what was my first activity: attending the AAPA Latino Congress in August 2014 in Iguazú... and, thinking back now and remembering that moment, I can assure you that there were very few women in the exhibitions or as representatives of the sector, and certainly much less than in the last congress in 2021.
I also remember that among the few there were, Zulma Dinelli stood out with her energy and dedication. I have no doubt that Zulma is one of the pioneers in this field in the Latin port sector and with her incredible team of collaborators; they are also an example for the sector.
Then came my first participations in the CIP OAS events, especially the first one in Montevideo. If I remember correctly was the year 2016, where I met and was amazed by the strength and professionalism of Mona Swoboda and Kayanna Parson (from the CIP Secretariat team). They did so much that, together with their other colleagues that I met later in other events (Montse Ambriz, Sabi Malnis, etc. ), I affectionately christened them the CIP OAS Dream Team and I believe that they are also a great example in this sector today.
Also unforgettable are the first women in management positions in Latin American ports with whom I had to meet and negotiate collaborations, such as Ana Rey and Alicia Abelenda, from the Port of Montevideo. At the time, they were veteran references in a world so dominated by men and well... they were very tough and good negotiators.
Just like Kritsa Lucenti from IDB/BID or Gianna Gregori from CAF. All of them a great example for future generations.
And if I remember them, I must also mention the first Mexican API General Managers with whom I coincided: Sylvia Ernest and Constanza Suarez, at API Mazatlan and API Puerto Vallarta. They were ahead of their time and were not given enough time to shine as I am sure they could.
An opposite case is what is currently happening in the NOC of Guatemala, where two great port professionals like Mari Cruz Rodas and Kamyla Barrientos are proving that the new generations of port women can go very far and do it very well.
And, of course, among all the women in the sector, I do not want to end these lines without mentioning a great professional and even better person, as great as her experience in ports: Eugenia Tortora from the Port of Bahía Blanca in Argentina. For me, she is the best reference for women who, in these new generations, are joining positions of responsibility in this sector.
Anyway, I must admit that as memory is not my main virtue, I am sure I am forgetting many brilliant port women with whom I have coincided, and I sincerely apologize for my forgetfulness.
But, believe me, the important thing is not the names, the important thing is to highlight what all these women have in common. And no, it is not important that they are brave and courageous women, which they are. What is truly remarkable is that all of them are not in their positions because they are women, they are there because of their preparation and, above all, because of the effort and time they have dedicated to learn from the best and to train themselves. Because I have no doubt: there is nothing more egalitarian than training, and nothing more satisfying than obtaining success and responsibility for your efforts.
In a classroom, we are all equal, and from a classroom, we all come out more prepared. So if I had to give some advice to all the women who fortunately are already and/or want to be in this sector, I would tell them two things: follow the best examples (all the women in this article are) and get trained; never stop doing that.
From an institution that works in port excellence and where more than half of its staff are women, I send you all a big hello.
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