# Second Lady of Brazil

Second Lady of Brazil (Portuguese: Segunda-dama do Brasil) is a title given to the hostess of the Jaburu Palace. This title is less used when compared to the title of First Lady of Brazil.
The term second lady, made in contrast to first lady (who is almost all the time the spouse of the president), was used by Josina Peixoto (whose husband, Floriano Peixoto, was vice president in 1891) to refer to the spouse of the Vice President.
The visibility of the Second Lady in the public sphere has been a recent development besides the role of the First Lady as hostess of the Alvorada Palace (previously the Catete Palace and the Itamaraty Palace) dates from the beginning of the republic.
Ten Second Ladies became First Ladies of Brazil during her spouses tenures as president. The first was Josina Peixora, wife of Floriano Peixoto, who was the first Vice President in 1891 and the second President from 1891 to 1894. The last one was Marcela Temer, wife of Michel Temer, who had served as 24th Vice President from 2011 to 2016 and 37th President from 2016 to 2019. Mariquita Aleixo wasn't officially established as First Lady, as her husband was prevented from assuming office. Only Francisca Ribeiro was First Lady and later assumed the role of Second Lady.
The current Second Lady of Brazil is Lu Alckmin, wife of 26th Vice President of Brazil Geraldo Alckmin.

## History

Even no country concedes any legal power to the Second Ladies, their roles frequently include hosting during reception in the vice presidential residence, to escort the Vice President in official trips and many ceremonial duties. Recently, the vice presidential spouses assume public roles which attracted significant attention from the media.
In 2011, Marcela Temer, wife of 24th Vice President Michel Temer, was involved with president Dilma Rousseff in the Prevention and Treatment of Cervical and Breast Cancer program, which was launched in Amazon Theatre.
Paula Mourão launched the Clean Hands, Healthy Life campaign in April 2020, along the Brazilian Culture Institute, with the objective of raise donaitions of soaps and alcohol gel to be distributed in Brasília, federal capital, with destination to poor people who are in social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Followed by a voluntary team, Paula distributed 4,000 hygiene kits to families of poor communities of Itapoã and Sol Nascente, who live in vulnerable situation. In Jabiru's Palace, the Second Lady formalized the deliver of the donations to Itapoã administrator, to the Commander of the 2nd Western Regional Policing Command and to the Commander of the 2nd Military Police Battalion, who conducted the donations and distributed them to the needy.
There were 14 vacancies of the role, the longest one had been the 16 years landmark between Clotilde de Mello Vianna and Beatriz Ramos. This vacancy occurred due to the abolition of the office of Vice President of Brazil during the Vargas Era. The most recent period without a Second Lady was between Marcela Temer and Paula Mourão.
The youngest Second Lady in history was Maria Thereza Goulart, aged 19 when assumed the role. The oldest was Mariza Gomes, aged 67. Gomes' record will be surpassed on 1 January 2023, when Lu Alckmin will assume role at the age of 71.

## Gallery of vice presidential couples

* Vice President Estácio Coimbra and Second Lady Joanna Coimbra 1922–1926
* Vice President João Goulart and Second Lady Maria Thereza Goulart 1956–1961
* Vice President Pedro Aleixo and Second Lady Mariquita Aleixo 1967–1969
* Vice President José Sarney and Second Lady Marly Sarney 1985
* Vice President José Alencar and Second Lady Mariza Gomes 2003–2011
* Vice President Michel Temer and Second Lady Marcela Temer 2011–2016
* Vice President Hamilton Mourão and Second Lady Paula Mourão 2019–2022
* Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Second Lady Lu Alckmin 2023–2023

## List of second ladies of Brazil

| Image | Second Lady | Vice President Marriage date | Tenure | Date of birth | Date of death (age) | Tenure as First Lady |
| | Josina Peixoto | Floriano Peixoto 11 May 1872 | 26 February 1891 – 23 November 1891 | 9 August 1857 | 5 November 1911 (54 years, 88 days) | 1891–1894 |
| Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | 23 November 1891 – 15 November 1894 | | | |
| | Amélia Pereira | Manuel Vitorino 1881 | 15 November 1894 – 15 November 1898 | 14 November 1863 | Unknown date | |
| Vacant; Francisco Rosa e Silva was a widower | Vacant; Francisco Rosa e Silva was a widower | Vacant; Francisco Rosa e Silva was a widower | 15 November 1898 – 15 November 1902 | | | |
| | Esther Brandão | Silviano Brandão 1889 | – | 22 October 1968 | 25 July 1956 (87 years, 277 days) | |
| Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | 15 November 1902 – 17 June 1903 | | | |
| | Guilhermina Pena | Afonso Pena 23 January 1875 | 17 June 1903 – 15 November 1906 | 21 June 1857 | 14 July 1929 (72 years, 23 days) | 1906–1909 |
| | Anita Peçanha | Nilo Peçanha 6 December 1895 | 15 November 1906 – 14 June 1909 | 21 March 1876 | 9 April 1960 (84 years, 19 days) | 1909–1910 |
| Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | 14 June 1909 – 15 November 1910 | | | |
| | Maria Pereira Gomes | Venceslau Brás 12 September 1892 | 15 November 1910 – 15 November 1914 | 19 August 1875 | 14 August 1925 (49 years, 360 days) | 1914–1918 |
| | Filomena Araújo | Urbano Santos 6 February 1888 | 14 November 1914 – 15 November 1918 | 21 March 1868 | 3 August 1948 (80 years, 135 days) | |
| | Francisca Ribeiro | Delfim Moreira 11 April 1891 | 15 November 1918 – 1 July 1920 | 9 October 1873 | 18 July 1965 (91 years, 282 days) | 1918–1919 |
| | Antonietta de Paiva | Bueno de Paiva 12 February 1887 | 10 November 1920 – 15 November 1922 | 7 August 1873 | 4 July 1955 (−18 years, 34 days) | |
| | Joanna Coimbra | Estácio Coimbra 1893 | 15 November 1922 – 15 November 1926 | 25 December 1873 | 18 October 1962 (88 years, 297 days) | |
| | Alfida Viana | Fernando de Melo Viana June 1906 | 15 November 1926 – 14 January 1928 | 10 June 1876 | 14 January 1928 (51 years, 218 days) | |
| Vacant; Fernando de Melo Viana was a widower | Vacant; Fernando de Melo Viana was a widower | Vacant; Fernando de Melo Viana was a widower | 14 January 1928 – 13 November 1928 | | | |
| | Clotilde de Melo Viana | Fernando de Melo Viana 13 November 1928 | 13 November 1928 – 24 October 1930 | 13 June 1903 | 17 April 1978 (74 years, 308 days) | |
| Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | 24 October 1930 – 19 September 1946 | | | |
| | Beatriz Ramos | Nereu Ramos 15 August 1916 | 19 September 1946 – 31 January 1951 | 9 October 1898 | 1 June 1991 (92 years, 235 days) | 1955–1956 |
| | Jandira Café | Café Filho 17 September 1921 | 31 January 1951 – 24 August 1954 | 17 September 1903 | 28 February 1989 (85 years, 164 days) | 1954–1955 |
| Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | 24 August 1954 – 31 January 1956 | | | |
| | Maria Thereza Goulart | João Goulart 26 April 1955 | 31 January 1956 – 25 August 1961 | 23 August 1936 | 88 years, 71 days | 1961–1964 |
| Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | 25 August 1961 – 15 April 1964 | | | |
| | Dasdores Alkmin | José Maria Alkmin February 1930 | 15 April 1964 – 15 March 1967 | 4 September 1902 | 24 April 2000 (97 years, 233 days) | |
| | Mariquita Aleixo | Pedro Aleixo 29 October 1925 | 15 March 1967 – 31 August 1969 | 7 November 1905 | 21 June 1989 (83 years, 226 days) | |
| Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | 31 August 1969 – 30 October 1969 | | | |
| | Ruth Rademaker | Augusto Rademaker 31 January 1940 | 30 October 1969 – 15 March 1974 | 26 March 1913 | 24 October 1995 (82 years, 212 days) | |
| Vacant; Adalberto Pereira dos Santos was a widower | Vacant; Adalberto Pereira dos Santos was a widower | Vacant; Adalberto Pereira dos Santos was a widower | 15 March 1974 – 15 March 1979 | | | |
| | Vivi Chaves | Aureliano Chaves 3 May 1954 | 15 March 1979 – 15 March 1985 | 8 August 1929 | 11 October 2002 (73 years, 64 days) | |
| | Marly Sarney | José Sarney 12 July 1952 | 15 March 1985 – 21 April 1985 | 4 December 1932 | 91 years, 334 days | 1985–1990 |
| Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | 21 April 1985 – 15 March 1990 | | | |
| Vacant; Itamar Franco was divorced | Vacant; Itamar Franco was divorced | Vacant; Itamar Franco was divorced | 15 March 1990 – 29 December 1992 | | | |
| Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | 29 December 1992 – 1 January 1995 | | | |
| | Anna Maria Maciel | Marco Maciel 28 December 1967 | 1 January 1995 – 1 January 2003 | 20 March 1941 | 83 years, 227 days | |
| | Mariza Gomes | José Alencar 9 November 1957 | 1 January 2003 – 1 January 2011 | 19 March 1935 | 89 years, 238 days | |
| | Marcela Temer | Michel Temer 26 July 2003 | 1 January 2011 – 31 August 2016 | 16 May 1983 | 41 years, 170 days | 2016–2018 |
| Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | Vacant; no vice president | 31 August 2016 – 1 January 2019 | | | |
| | Paula Mourão | Hamilton Mourão 11 October 2018 | 1 January 2019 – 1 January 2023 | 2 May 1976 | 48 years, 184 days | |
| | Lu Alckmin | Geraldo Alckmin 16 March 1979 | 1 January 2023 – present | 28 December 1951 | 72 years, 310 days | |

## Other spouses of Brazilian vice presidents

Various other spouses of vice presidents of Brazil are not considered as second ladies of Brazil because their marriages were not during the vice presidential terms of their husbands.
Two Brazilian vice presidents were widowed prior to their vice presidencies:
* Francisco Rosa e Silva was married to Maria das Dores Rosa e Silva from 1883 until her death in 1892.
* Adalberto Pereira dos Santos was married to Julieta Pereira dos Santos from 1941 until her death in 1968.
Two Brazilian vice presidents were widowed and remarried prior to their vice presidencies:
* Fernando de Melo Viana was married to Maria José de Melo Viana. He was subsequently married to Alfrida Viana from 1906 until her death in 1928.
* Hamilton Mourão was married to Elisabeth Mourão from 1976 until her death in 2016. He has subsequently been married to Paula de Oliveira since 2018.
One Brazilian vice president was divorced prior to his vice presidency:
* Itamar Franco was married to Ana Elisa Surerus from 1968 until 1978.
One Brazilian vice president was divorced and remarried prior to his vice presidency:
* Michel Temer was married to Maria Célia de Toledo from 1969 until 1987. He has subsequently been married to Marcela Tedeschi since 2003.
One Brazilian vice president remarried after his vice presidency:
* Francisco Rosa e Silva was married to Heloísa Rosa e Silva from 1911 until 1929.