# First Ladies and Gentlemen of Peru

The First lady or Gentleman of Peru (Spanish: Primera Dama o Primer caballero del Perú) is the title held by the spouse or designated female family member of the president of Peru. The role usually fulfills functions of social work and accompanying the president. There have been a number of first ladies that have been foreign to Peru.

## History

The first pioneer of political leadership in Peru was María Delgado de Odría, wife of President Manuel A. Odría, who developed extensive social work throughout the country aimed at those who needed it most.
In September 1919, Julia Josefa Swayne y Mariátegui, wife of Augusto B. Leguía (who had assumed the presidency in July of that year), died in London, unable to accompany her husband during the eleven years that he ruled.
In 1956, President Manuel Prado Ugarteche asked the Roman Rota to annul his marriage to Enriqueta Garland Higginson, who had already been first lady, which led a group of Catholic society ladies to go out dressed in mourning through the streets of Lima. The president remarried the socialite Clorinda Málaga Bravo in 1958, and until then the position was assumed by his daughter, Rosa Prado Garland de Parks.
In 1963, Fernando Belaúnde Terry assumed the presidency of the Republic, but the position of first lady was assumed by his sister Lucila Belaúnde de Cruchaga and by her daughter Carolina Belaúnde on some occasions, since the president was divorced from Carola Aubry. However, in 1966, on the occasion of the visit of Charles de Gaulle, the position was assumed by Carmen Jaime Torres, wife of the president of the Senate, Ramiro Prialé, interpreting the Congress that since the president of the Executive lacked a wife, the position should be assumed. by the wife of the President of the Legislative Assembly.
One First Lady who dedicated a lot of effort to welfare work was Violeta Correa, the second wife of Belaúnde Terry, who developed a series of actions with well-known Peruvian women, being also the creator of the so-called "family kitchens."
Pilar Nores, Alan García's wife, created in the eighties the Foundation for the Children of Peru, an institution dedicated to children in need and that would later be presided over by future first ladies. Susana Higuchi, Alberto Fujimori's wife, took over this foundation until her separation from her husband. After that, her daughter Keiko Fujimori took office at the age of 19, becoming the youngest first lady in the Americas and in the world.
Eliane Karp, wife of President Alejandro Toledo, served as First Lady and president of the previously mentioned Foundation for the Children of Peru. In 2002 the Office of the First Lady was created, from which she would support charitable causes. This office was dissolved by the government of Alan García in August 2006. After Nores and García's divorce was made public, his daughters, Carla and Josefina, became the ones who accompanied him to official events.

### Corruption scandals

Much like their husbands, a number of first ladies of Peru have been implicated with charges of corruption under their spouse's administration.

#### Eliane Karp Toledo

Karp has been accused of money laundering. She testified under Congress in 2013.

#### Nadine Heredia Humala

The wife of president Ollanta Humala was accused of multiple crimes, and was arrested one year following Humala's administration and sent to testify under oath.

## List

| No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure | President (Husband, unless noted) |
| 1 | N/A | María Ana Micaela de Echevarría y Santiago de Ulloa ?–? | 17 July 1823 – 17 February 1824 | José Bernardo de Tagle |
| 2 | | Francisca Zubiaga y Bernales September 11, 1803–May 8, 1835 | September 1, 1829 – December 20, 1833 | Agustín Gamarra |
| 3 | N/A | María Josefa Martínez de Pinillos y Cacho ?–? | April 24, 1834 – February 23, 1835 | Luis José de Orbegoso |
| 4 | N/A | Juana Pérez Palza de Infantas May 27, 1808–March 18, 1888 | 25 February 1835 – 7 February 1836 | Felipe Santiago Salaverry |
| 5 | N/A | Andrea Grados Donayre 1807–October 16, 1851 | October 20, 1842 – March 15, 1843 | Juan Francisco de Vidal |
| 6 | | Francisca Diez-Canseco y Corbacho January 13, 1823–May 31, 1864 | April 20, 1845 – April 20, 1851 | Ramón Castilla |
| 7 | N/A | Victoria Tristán de Echenique January 13, 1823–May 31, 1864 | April 20, 1851 – January 5, 1855 | José Rufino Echenique |
| 8 | N/A | Josefa Oviedo y Mollinedo ?–? | October 24, 1862 – April 3, 1863 | Miguel de San Román |
| 9 | | Francisca Diez-Canseco y Corbacho January 13, 1823–May 31, 1864 | April 3, 1863 – April 9, 1863 | Ramón Castilla |
| 10 | N/A | Juana de Tirado y Coronel-Zegarra June 20, 1807–November 20, 1882 | August 5, 1863 – November 8, 1865 | Juan Antonio Pezet |
| 11 | N/A | María Magdalena Ugarteche Gutiérrez de Cossío May 20, 1842–July 9, 1917 | November 28, 1865 – January 7, 1868 | Mariano Ignacio Prado |
| 12 | N/A | Francisca Javiera Vargas Maldonado December 1, 1818–April 16, 1879 | January 7, 1868 – August 2, 1868 | Pedro Diez Canseco |
| 13 | N/A | María Paz y Graj ?–? | 2 August 1868 – 22 July 1872 | José Balta |
| 14 | N/A | Manuela Sanz de Santo Domingo August 31, 1838–? | July 27, 1872 – August 2, 1872 | Mariano Herencia Zevallos |
| 15 | N/A | Mariana Barreda y Osma August 31, 1838–? | August 2, 1872 – August 2, 1876 | Manuel Pardo y Lavalle |
| 16 | N/A | María Magdalena Ugarteche Gutiérrez de Cossío May 20, 1842–July 9, 1917 | August 2, 1876 – December 23, 1879 | Mariano Ignacio Prado |
| 17 | N/A | Manuela Molina 1820–March 10, 1890 | December 18, 1879 – December 23, 1879 | Luis La Puerta |
| 18 | N/A | Jesusa de Itúrbide Y Villena c. 1842–February 17, 1914 | December 23, 1879 – November 28, 1881 | Nicolás de Piérola |
| 19 | | Carmen Rey y Basadre May 9, 1850–? | March 12, 1881 – September 28, 1881 | Francisco García Calderón |
| 20 | N/A | Rosa Elías de la Quintana October 8, 1829–February 7, 1888 | September 28, 1881 – November 6, 1881 | Lizardo Montero Flores |
| 21 | | Antonia Moreno Leyva June 13, 1848–February 26, 1916 | June 3, 1886 – August 10, 1890 | Andrés Avelino Cáceres |
| 22 | | Justa Masías y Llosa 1849–1925 | August 10, 1890 – April 1, 1894 | Remigio Morales Bermúdez |
| 23 | N/A | Jesús Salas de la Torre Urraca ?–? | 1 April 1894 – 10 August 1894 | Justiniano Borgoño |
| 24 | | Antonia Moreno Leyva June 13, 1848–February 26, 1916 | August 10, 1894 – March 20, 1895 | Andrés Avelino Cáceres |
| 25 | N/A | Teresa Álvarez-Calderón Roldán de Candamo 1851–? | March 20, 1895 – September 8, 1895 | Manuel Candamo |
| 26 | N/A | Carmen Heeren Barreda 1879–1949 | August 18, 1915 – July 4, 1919 | José Pardo y Barreda |
| 27 | N/A | María Isabel Olivera Mayo de Leguía 1867–? | July 4, 1919 – December 8, 1930 | Augusto B. Leguía |
| 28 | N/A | Francisca Benavides Diez Canseco de Benavides 1886–? | April 30, 1933 – December 8, 1939 | Óscar R. Benavides |
| 29 | | Enriqueta Garland de Prado May 11, 1883 – April 30, 1968 (aged 84) | December 8, 1939 – July 28, 1945 | Manuel Prado Ugarteche |
| 30 | N/A | María Jesús Rivera y Rivera de Bustamante ?–? | July 28, 1945 – October 29, 1948 | José Luis Bustamante y Rivero |
| 31 | | María Delgado de Odría December 28, 1900 – March 19, 1990 (aged 89) | October 29, 1948 – July 28, 1956 | Manuel Odría Amoretti |
| 32 | N/A | Rosa Prado Garland 1924-2007 | July 28, 1956 – June 9, 1958 | Manuel Prado Ugarteche Daughter |
| 32 | | Clorinda Málaga de Prado July 3, 1905 – September 17, 1993 (aged 88) | June 9, 1958 – July 18, 1962 | Manuel Prado Ugarteche |
| 33 | N/A | Eloisa Dolores Ferreyros Roldán de Godoy Born N/A | July 18, 1962 – March 3, 1963 | Ricardo Pérez Godoy |
| 34 | N/A | María Álvarez del Villar de Lindley Born N/A | March 3, 1963 – July 28, 1963 | Nicolás Lindley López |
| 35 | N/A | Carola Aubry Bravo de Belaúnde 1921–2003 (aged 81–82) | July 28, 1963 – October 3, 1968 | Fernando Belaúnde Terry |
| 36 | | Consuelo Gonzales Posada de Velasco June 18, 1920 – September 7, 2012 (aged 92) | October 3, 1968 – August 29, 1975 | Juan Velasco Alvarado |
| 37 | N/A | Rosa Pedraglio de Morales Bermúdez February 1, 1920 – June 7, 1998 (aged 78) | August 29, 1975 – July 28, 1980 | Francisco Morales Bermúdez |
| 38 | N/A | Violeta Correa de Belaúnde March 24, 1927 – June 1, 2001 (aged 74) | July 28, 1980 – July 28, 1985 | Fernando Belaúnde Terry |
| 39 | | Pilar Nores de García Born (1949-03-11) 11 March 1949 (age 75) Birth country: Argentina | July 28, 1985 – July 28, 1990 | Alan Garcia |
| 40 | | Susana Higuchi de Fujimori April 26, 1950 – December 8, 2021 (aged 71) | July 28, 1990 – August 23, 1994 | Alberto Fujimori |
| 40 | | Keiko Fujimori Higuchi Born (1975-05-25) May 25, 1975 (age 49) | August 23, 1994 – November 22, 2000 | Alberto Fujimori Daughter |
| 41 | N/A | Nilda Jara de Paniagua Born (1942-11-27) November 27, 1942 (age 81) | November 22, 2000 – July 28, 2001 | Valentin Paniagua |
| 42 | | Eliane Karp de Toledo Born (1953-09-24) September 24, 1953 (age 71) Birth country: France | July 28, 2001 – July 28, 2006 | Alejandro Toledo |
| 43 | | Pilar Nores de García Born (1949-03-11) March 11, 1949 (age 75) Birth country: Argentina | July 28, 2006 – July 28, 2011 | Alan Garcia |
| 44 | | Nadine Heredia de Humala Born (1976-05-25) May 25, 1976 (age 48) | July 28, 2011 – July 28, 2016 | Ollanta Humala |
| 45 | | Nancy Lange Kuczynski Born (1954-01-20) January 20, 1954 (age 70) Birth country: United States | July 28, 2016 – March 23, 2018 | Pedro Pablo Kuczynski |
| 46 | | Maribel Diaz de Vizcarra Born (1970-03-27) March 27, 1970 (age 54) | March 23, 2018 – November 10, 2020 | Martin Vizcarra |
| 47 | N/A | Mary Peña de Merino Born (1963-11-17) November 17, 1963 (age 60) | November 10, 2020 – November 15, 2020 | Manuel Merino |
| 48 | | Lilia Paredes de Castillo Born (1973-04-23) April 23, 1973 (age 51) | July 28, 2021 – December 7, 2022 | Pedro Castillo |