When we think about the presidents of Brazil, we instantly think about the first ladies too. But, what do we know about them? Not too much, I guess. So, if you want to know a little bit more about them, check out this list we made for you.
Janja (Rosangela Lula da Silva)
Janja is how she is known for the most. She was born in União da Vitória, Paraná and moved to Curitiba when she was still a child. Janja is a sociologist educated by the Federal University of Paraná and she has been affiliated to PT (Worker’s Party) since she was 17 years old.
Janja met Lula Inácio da Silva when he was in jail due to Lava Jato Operation in 2018. She was against his prison and she protested it at the time. Janja also visited and wrote to him during this time. After that, Rosangela and Lula moved in together when he left jail, in 2019. In 2022, they got married and today she is the current first lady of Brazil.
Janja also supports causes for social inclusion and fights against social inequality. She is part of the program named as Network for Inclusion and Combating Inequality of Ibero-American States.
Michelle Bolsonaro (Michelle de Paula Firmo Reinaldo Bolsonaro)
She is married to Jair Bolsonaro but she wasn’t his first wife, actually Michelle is the third wife of the ex-president. She was the first lady from 2019 to 2022. She was born in Distrito Federal in 1982.
Michelle and the former president met in the chamber of deputies, at that time she worked as parliamentary secretary and he was congressperson. She worked there from 2004 to 2008 and they got married in 2007.
She became famous because of her religious positioning during Bolsonaro’s mandate. Now, she is the president of PL Woman (a part of the Liberal Party dedicated to women). After her husband became ineligible for eight years, she’s taking the political front.
Marcela Temer (Marcela Tedeschi Araújo Temer)
She is Michel Temer’s wife and she was the first lady from 2016 to 2018, after Dilma’s impeachment. Marcela was born in Paulínia, inner city of São Paulo, in 1983.
She has a degree in law and also was Miss Paulinia and Miss São Paulo. She met Michel Temer in 2002, during a PMDB convention. After a year, they married even though he’s 42 years older than her.
During Michel Temer’s mandate, she was announced as an ambassador for “Criança Feliz”, a support program aimed at early childhood, a position in the social area of government. She helped at the disclosure of the program.
Marisa Letícia (Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva)
Between Michel Temer and Lula, we have the ex-presidente Dilma Rousseff but she didn’t have a husband. So, we’re gonna talk about Lula’s second wife: Marisa Letícia. She was the first lady for 8 years, from 2003 to 2010.
Marisa was born in São Bernardo do Campo and worked in a Chocolate Factory and was also a student inspector in a school. Marisa and Lula met each other on a metallurgical syndicate and they married in 1974. Unfortunately, she died in 2017 after a stroke.
She was responsible for sewing the first flag of the “Partido dos Trabalhadores” (PT). Marisa was also responsible for the registration forms to found the PT. The former first lady was quite excited, to the point of looking for people on the streets to join the legend.
During her husband’s imprisonment, she organised a women’s group to protest against political prisons.
Ruth Cardoso (Ruth Vilaça Leite Cardoso)
Ruth was Fernando Henrique’s wife and she was the first lady from 1995 to 2003. Ruth was born in Araraquara, inner city of São Paulo, in 1930. She moved to São Paulo to study at USP – University of São Paulo and it was at that time when she met Fernando Henrique Cardoso, who also studied there. She also went to Columbia University and New York University.
Ruth met Fernando Henrique Cardoso in 1951 but they became husband and wife in 1953. She died in 2008, when she was 77 years old.
Ruth left as her main legacy the creation of the so-called third sector, a political practice through civil society. Organised by ONGs, the action joined government and company measures in the quest to improve living conditions for the population. Ruth’s contribution was responsible for paving the way for more effective action by the country in the social sciences.
“She created the ‘Comunidade Solidária’ and was dedicated not to ‘assistentialism’: she wanted people to exercise their roles in society with autonomy and claiming their rights.”, Fernando Henrique Cardoso says about his wife.
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The article above was edited by Fernanda Miki Tsukase.
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