Bolivian president Evo Morales named Gina Reque Teran as the general of the army during a ceremony held in La Paz, according to multiple outlets. This makes her the first woman to in Latin America to command combat troops.

Alexa Miguel, a freshman studying media thinks that it is a step forward considering the gender bias that women face.

“It is really great that a woman will be recognized for her achievements,” Miguel said. “She worked hard in the military before being promoted while being a mother of two.”

Reque Teran is the daughter of the well-known retired general Luis Reque Teran, as reported by NBC News.

Reque Teran has always aspired to be in the top position in the army. “Becoming a general was my purpose in entering the military,” she said, according to La Razon, a Spanish newspaper based in Madrid.

Reque Teran was appointed general of the army on International Women’s Day, as reported by Fox News.

This was also the first time that a woman was named generals in the police force according to MercoPress.

Reque Teran sees this milestone as a motivation for women in the military. She said to Fox News that, “all women must continue to work and dedicate themselves to the profession 100 percent.”

Veronique Egah Akoswa, a senior majoring in international relations, said she is “not surprised to see Reque Teran as the army general because a woman can equally do what a man can do.”