First Lady of Paraguay


First Lady of Paraguay, also called First Lady of the Nation, is the official post of the wife of the president of Paraguay. The official workplace of the Paraguayan first lady is Mburuvicha Róga. The current first lady of Paraguay is Leticia Ocampos, wife of President Santiago Peña.

Structure

According to Paraguayan law, the Office of the First Lady of the Nation depends structurally and financially on the presidency of the republic. The first lady exercises her duties through the REPADEH Foundation, focused mainly in social and health affairs.
With the exception of a 14-month period between 2012–2013, Paraguay did not have a president's wife as First Lady for a decade, between 2008 and 2018. As Fernando Lugo, who was elected President in 2008, was unmarried, he designated his elder sister, Mercedes Lugo, as First Lady. After Lugo was impeached and succeeded by Federico Franco, Franco's wife Emilia Alfaro de Franco assumed the post; however, Franco's successor, Horacio Cartes, one day after assuming the presidency, ended the title of First Lady instead of handing it to his estranged wife, María Montaña de Cartes.

Partial list of first ladies

PortraitFirst LadyTenure beginsTenure endsPresident of ParaguayNotes
18441862Carlos Antonio López
Eliza Lynch18621869Francisco Solano López
Clara Recalde18701870Facundo Machaín
Vacant18701871Cirilo Antonio Rivarola
Ercilia Bogado18711874Salvador Jovellanos
María Concepción Díaz de Bedoya18741877Juan Bautista Gill
Etelvina Trinidad Mercedes Velilla18771878Higinio Uriarte
Atanasia Escato18781880Cándido Bareiro
María Concepción Díaz de Bedoya18801886Bernardino Caballero
Ramona Ignacia Garcete18861890Patricio Escobar
Rosa Peña Guanes18901894Juan Gualberto González
Ramona Bareiro Caballero18941894Marcos Morínigo
Casiana Isasi18941898Juan Bautista Egusquiza
Josefina Rivarola18981902Emilio Aceval
Margarita Salomoni19021902Andrés Héctor Carvallo
Josefa Rojas19021904Juan Antonio Escurra
Regina Corti Onetto19041905Juan Bautista Gaona
Marcelina Allende19051906Cecilio Báez
María del Carmen de la Mora Isasi1906 – 19081908Benigno Ferreira
Adela da Fontoura Lima19081910Emiliano González Navero
Emilia Victoria Alfaro19101911Manuel Gondra
VacantAugust 15, 1916June 5, 1919Manuel Franco