First Lady of Puerto Rico

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First Lady of Puerto Rico is the term by which the wives of Puerto Rico's governors are known. No similar term has been popularly adopted for the two male spouses of Puerto Rico's only female Governor, Sila Calderón.

First Ladies receive no compensation for their service which comprises overseeing the administration of La Fortaleza, the 17th century structure that houses the Governor's residence as well as the Governor's Office, and the different civic programs that First Ladies organize and sponsor.

[edit] Former First Ladies

The wife of Puerto Rico's first elective Governor, Luis Muñoz Marín, was Inés Mendoza, who served as First Lady from 1949 to 1964.

Puerto Rico's second elective governor, Roberto Sánchez Vilella, was married to Conchita Dapena, who served as First Lady from 1965 to 1967. After their divorce, the governor married Jeannette Ramos, who served as First Lady from 1967 to 1968.

Governor Luis A. Ferré had his bedridden ailing wife, Lorencita Ramírez de Arellano, moved into La Fortaleza when he became Governor in 1969. After her death in 1970, their daughter, Rosario Ferré assumed the role of her father's First Lady for the remainder of his term until 1972.

Governor Rafael Hernández Colón was married to the late Lila Mayoral Wirshing during his three terms in office, from 1973 to 1976 and from 1985 to 1992. She finished college while serving as First Lady, serving as an inspiration to mothers who had foregone higher education while raising their families, and she undertook a highway beautification and reforestation project.

Puerto Rico's only non-native First Lady since governors have been elected by the people was Kate Donnelly, Governor Carlos Romero Barceló's wife. During her husband's eight years in office from 1977 to 1984, she wrote a cookbook "Cocinando desde La Fortaleza" (Cooking from the Governor's Mansion) and donated the proceeds to provide scholarships to the children of slain police agents. After serving in the Governor's Mansion, she has served as a Trustee of the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico.

Maga Nevares, the wife of Governor Pedro Rosselló was one of the most active First Ladies during her eight years residing in La Fortaleza, Puerto Rico's executive mansion, involving herself in education issues.

Female Gov. Sila Calderón delegated First Lady duties to her adult daughters, attorneys María Elena González Calderón and Sila Mari González Calderón, who subsequently was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico, where she serves as Minority Whip since 2005.

Puerto Rico's current First Lady under Gov. Aníbal Acevedo Vilá is his wife, Luisa Gándara.

In addition to Gándara's aspiration to be "reelected" to the unpaid, unelected job in November 2008, Maga Nevares's and attorney Lucé Vela's husbands, former Gov. Rosselló and current Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuño are competing in a primary to face Acevedo Vilá.