First Lady of Brazil

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First Lady of Brazil
Incumbent Michelle Bolsonaro since 1 January 2019
Style	Dona
Residence	Palácio da Alvorada
Inaugural holder	Mariana da Fonseca
Formation	15 November 1889 (132 years ago) (1889-11-15)

First Lady of Brazil (Portuguese: Primeira-dama do Brasil) is a title given to the hostess of Alvorada Palace. The position is traditionally filled by the wife of the current president of Brazil, but may apply to women who are not the president's wives, for instance, when the president is single or widowed. They do not have official functions within the government, but usually attend public ceremonies and organize social actions such as charity events. In addition, a charismatic first lady can help convey a positive image of her spouses to the population.

The role of the first lady has changed considerably. It has come to include involvement in political campaigns, social causes, and representation of the president on official and ceremonial occasions. In addition, over the years, first ladies have exerted influence in various sectors, from fashion to public opinion on politics.

To date, there have been thirty-seven first ladies, counting twice the wives of Getúlio Vargas and Ranieri Mazzilli, who served two non-consecutive terms each. President Hermes da Fonseca had two first ladies, as he became a widower and remarried while still in office. Presidents Rodrigues Alves and Castelo Branco were widowers, hence their daughters played such a role. Brazil has never had a first gentleman, as Dilma Rousseff, the first and only female president to date, had been divorced prior to taking office.

Following the inauguration of Jair Bolsonaro on 1 January 2019, his wife Michelle Bolsonaro became the thirty-seventh Brazilian first lady, succeeding Marcela Temer, wife of former president Michel Temer.

Wives who did not become first ladies[]

• Alice Prestes, Julio Prestes's wife, did not officially become First Lady, as her husband was prevented from taking office, but he must be a former president under the Law.
• Mariquita Aleixo, Pedro Aleixo's wife, did not officially become First Lady, as her husband was prevented from taking office, but he must be a former president under the Law.
• Risoleta Neves, wife of Tancredo Neves, did not officially become First Lady, as her husband died before taking office, but he must be a former president under the law.

Social works[]

Ruth Cardoso in event of the Solidarity Community Program.

The first ladies occupy a highly visible position in Brazilian society, playing an evolutionary role over the centuries.

Assistance in the country under the command of the Brazilian first lady began in the 1940s, ahead of Darcy Vargas, with the creation of the Brazilian Legion of Assistance. Founded on 28 August 1942 to assist the families of soldiers who participated in World War II, but soon became comprehensive, with emphasis on mothers and families living in poverty. With an entirely feminine style, the LBA was governed in each state by the wives of the governors and, consequently, by the wives of the mayors. From then on, all the first ladies of the country assumed the presidency of honor of the Brazilian Legion of Assistance. But it was under Rosane Collor's management that the LBA plunged into scandals over embezzlement for the first lady's family, which resulted in her leaving the organ in 1991. The Brazilian Legion of Assistance was extinguished on 1 January 1995, under the government of Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

Sarah Kubitschek innovated with the Foundation of Social Pioneers. The organization was created when it was still first lady of Minas Gerais, offering support to children, mothers and pregnant women, extending to the poorest families. The Foundation gained independence when her husband assumed the Presidency of the Republic, acquiring larger resources, originating from the Federal Government and some sectors such as: commerce, industry and individuals.

Marcela Temer in Global Child Forum.

Ruth Cardoso assumed the presidency of the Solidarity Community Program, created in 1995 by the government to combat extreme poverty. The program replaced the extinct bodies of the Brazilian Legion of Assistance and the National Food Security Council. In 2000, she created the non-governmental organization Comunitas, in which she acted until her death, having been the forerunner of one of the largest social programs in the country's history, Bolsa Família. Ruth was still noted for her intellectuality, having been the first wife of a president to earn a university degree.

Shortly after becoming first lady of Brazil, it was announced that Marcela would be the ambassador for the "Happy Child" program, and was officially launched on 5 October 2016 with the Happy Child Program, with Marcela Temer as ambassador. Created by the Federal Government for the care of children from 0 to 3 years of age, with the purpose of accompanying visits to families linked to the Bolsa Familia Program, encouraging early childhood development in education, social assistance, health, human rights and culture.

Michelle Bolsonaro is committed to advocating for visibility of rare diseases, digital inclusion, awareness of autism, inclusion of LIBRAS (Brazilian Sign Language) in schools and other social projects.

First ladies' style[]

Among the first thirty-seven first ladies, some draw attention for style and elegance. Sarah Kubitschek is considered to this day one of the most elegant, favoring national stylists when the country was rising in the fashion market. Classic in style, elegant and discreet, Sarah used to wear various designers, including Zuzu Angel, Dener Pamplona, Guilherme Guimarães and Mena Fiala, responsible for almost all of Sarah's wardrobe.

Considered by People Magazine the most beautiful first lady in the country and one of the 10 most beautiful first ladies in the world, Maria Thereza Goulart became an icon of Brazilian fashion in the early 60s, and used to wear clothes designed by the then nascent Brazilian haute couture. She became a client of the designer Dener Pamplona de Abreu, who was ultimately responsible for her wardrobe. Her glamorous style drew the interest of Brazilian newspapers and became a trend amongst Brazilian women, who were inspired by her clothing. Maria Thereza was the youngest first lady in the country's history, at the age of twenty-one at the time of her inauguration, having been considered by Time magazine as one of the nine Reigning Beauties in the world. She was considered an icon of Brazilian fashion in the early 60s, with the rise of haute couture in the country, attracting national and international attention, printing several covers of Brazilian magazines such as Manchete, Fatos & Fotos and O Cruzeiro; and world famous such as the French Paris Match and the German Stern.

Becoming first lady, Marcela Temer also drew national attention and became a fashion reference. At the parade on 7 September 2016, she appeared in a simple white dress with a discreet neckline. In less than 24 hours, the dress was already sold out at the online store of Brazilian designer Luisa Farani. With a classic and romantic style, the same dress she wore in her first official act as first lady, repeated in her last official act as first lady, being highly praised and associated with the British Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

Michelle Bolsonaro has a classic, simple and elegant style. On the day that her husband took office, Michelle was using a model considered simple, but that took 20 days to be made. The medium-length, shoulder-to-shoulder rosé model - inspired by the dresses of former United States First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Monaco Princess Grace Kelly generated positive comments. In her everyday life, she usually sports a casual look, mostly wearing jeans, knit shirts and comfortable wearing. She seems to take a like on classic, discreet, neckless pieces, usually wearing black, a fact that made her choose a dress in the same color with round sleeves for the cocktail party at Itamaraty on the night that her husband became president of Brazil. Her stylist is the Paulistana Marie Lafayette, who dresses the first lady at all official events. At an event held by the Planalto Palace in April 2019, Michelle wore a tube and pearl necklace, drawing comparisons to Diana, Princess of Wales.

List of first ladies of Brazil[]

First Lady			Age on assuming function	Period	President (wedding date)
1		Mariana da Fonseca 10 February 1826 – 9 April 1905 (79 years)	63 years, 278 days	1889111515 November 1889 — 23 November 1891	Deodoro da Fonseca 16 April 1860
2		Josina Peixoto 9 August 1857 – 5 November 1911 (54 years)	34 years, 106 days	1891112323 November 1891 — 15 November 1894	Floriano Peixoto 11 May 1872
3		Adelaide de Morais 17 September 1848 – 8 November 1911 (63 years)	46 years, 59 days	1894111515 November 1894 — 15 November 1898	Prudente de Moraes 28 May 1866
4		Anna Gabriela Campos Salles 24 January 1850 – 31 July 1919 (69 years)	48 years, 295 days	1898111515 November 1898 — 15 November 1902	Campos Salles 8 July 1865
5		Catita Rodrigues Alves 5 October 1879 – 5 November 1958 (79 years)	23 years, 41 days	1902111515 November 1902 — 8 December 1904	Rodrigues Alves Daughters
		Marieta Rodrigues Alves 18 November 1880 – 29 January 1957 (76 years)	24 years, 20 days	19048 December 1904 — 15 November 1906
6		Guilhermina Penna 21 June 1857 – 14 July 1929 (72 years)	49 years, 147 days	1906111515 November 1906 — 14 June 1909	Affonso Penna 23 January 1875
7		Anita Peçanha 21 March 1876 – 9 April 1960 (84 years)	33 years, 85 days	1909061414 June 1909 — 15 November 1910	Nilo Peçanha 6 December 1895
8		Orsina da Fonseca 17 December 1858 – 30 November 1912 (53 years)	51 years, 333 days	1910111515 November 1910 — 30 November 1912	Hermes da Fonseca 16 April 1979
Vacant; The President was widowed.				1912113030 November 1912 — 8 December 1913	Hermes da Fonseca Widower
9		Nair de Teffé 10 June 1886 – 10 June 1981 (95 years)	27 years, 181 days	191312088 December 1913 — 15 November 1914	Hermes da Fonseca 8 December 1913
10		Maria Pereira Gomes 19 August 1875 – 14 August 1925 (49 years)	39 years, 88 days	1914111515 November 1914 — 15 November 1918	Venceslau Brás 12 September 1892
11		Francisca Ribeiro 9 October 1873 – 18 July 1965 (91 years)	45 years, 37 days	1918111515 November 1918 — 28 July 1919	Delfim Moreira 11 April 1891
12		Mary Pessoa 3 June 1878 – 31 October 1958 (79 years)	41 years, 55 days	1919072828 July 1919 — 15 November 1922	Epitácio Pessoa 8 November 1898
13		Clélia Bernardes 4 February 1876 – 10 June 1972 (95 years)	46 years, 284 days	1922111515 November 1922 — 15 November 1926	Artur Bernardes 15 July 1903
14		Sophia Pais de Barros 27 September 1877 – 28 June 1934 (56 years)	49 years, 49 days	1926111515 November 1926 — 24 October 1930	Washington Luís 6 March 1900
—		Alice Prestes 21 October 1887 – 9 June 1940 (52 years)	—	—	Júlio Prestes 3 May 1906
Vacant; Brazilian Military Junta of 1930.				1930102424 October 1930 — 3 November 1930	Brazilian Military Junta of 1930
15		Darcy Vargas 12 December 1895 – 25 June 1968 (72 years)	34 years, 326 days	193011033 November 1930 — 29 October 1945	Getúlio Vargas 4 March 1911
16		Luzia Linhares 8 June 1887 – 14 September 1969 (82 years)	58 years, 143 days	1945102929 October 1945 — 31 January 1946	José Linhares 26 April 1913
17		Carmela Dutra 17 September 1884 – 9 October 1947 (63 years)	61 years, 136 days	1946013131 January 1946 — 9 October 1947	Eurico Gaspar Dutra 19 February 1914
Vacant; The President was widowed.				9 October 1947 — 31 January 1951	Eurico Gaspar Dutra Widower
18		Darcy Vargas 12 December 1895 – 25 June 1968 (72 years)	55 years, 50 days	1951013131 January 1951 — 24 August 1954	Getúlio Vargas 4 March 1911
19		Jandira Café 17 September 1904 – 28 February 1989 (84 years)	49 years, 341 days	1954082424 August 1954 — 8 November 1955	Café Filho September, 1931
20		Graciema da Luz 8 January 1903 – 25 February 1983 (80 years)	52 years, 304 days	195511088 November 1955 — 11 November 1955	Carlos Luz 30 June 1927
21		Beatriz Ramos 9 October 1898 – 1 June 1991 (92 years)	57 years, 33 days	1955111111 November 1955 — 11 January 1956	Nereu Ramos 15 August 1916
22		Sarah Kubitschek 5 October 1908 – 4 February 1996 (87 years)	47 years, 118 days	1956013131 January 1956 — 31 January 1961	Juscelino Kubitschek 30 December 1931
23		Eloá Quadros 13 June 1923 – 22 November 1990 (67 years)	37 years, 232 days	1961013131 January 1961 — 25 August 1961	Jânio Quadros 26 September 1942
24		Sylvia Mazzilli 8 October 1915 – 17 February 2005 (89 years)	45 years, 321 days	1961082525 August 1961 — 7 September 1961	Ranieri Mazzilli 1933
25		Maria Thereza Goulart Born (1936-08-23) 23 August 1936 (age 85)	25 years, 25 days	19610907—7 September 1961 — 2 April 1964	João Goulart 26 April 1955
26		Sylvia Mazzilli 8 October 1915 – 17 February 2005 (89 years)	48 years, 177 days	196404022 April 1964 — 15 April 1964	Ranieri Mazzilli 1933
27		Antonietta Castello Branco 7 November 1922 – 31 October 2010 (87 years)	41 years, 129 days	15 April 1964 — 15 March 1967	Castello Branco Daughter
28		Yolanda Costa e Silva 30 October 1907 – 28 July 1991 (83 years)	59 years, 136 days	15 March 1967 — 31 August 1969	Costa e Silva 22 September 1925
—		Mariquita Aleixo 7 November 1905 – 21 June 1989 (83 years)	—	—	Pedro Aleixo 29 October 1925
Vacant; Brazilian Military Junta of 1969.				31 August 1969 — 30 October 1969	Brazilian Military Junta of 1969
29		Scylla Médici 4 October 1907 – 25 January 2003 (95 years)	62 years, 26 days	30 October 1969 — 15 March 1974	Emílio Garrastazu Médici 2 May 1931
30		Lucy Geisel 24 November 1917 – 3 March 2000 (82 years)	56 years, 111 days	15 March 1974 — 15 March 1979	Ernesto Geisel 10 January 1940
31		Dulce Figueiredo 11 May 1928 – 6 June 2011 (83 years)	50 years, 308 days	15 March 1979 — 15 March 1985	João Figueiredo 15 January 1942
—		Risoleta Neves 20 July 1917 – 21 September 2003 (86 years)	—	—	Tancredo Neves 25 May 1938
32		Marly Sarney Born (1932-12-04) 4 December 1932 (age 89)	52 years, 101 days	15 March 1985 — 15 March 1990	José Sarney 12 July 1952
33		Rosane Collor Born (1964-10-20) 20 October 1964 (age 57)	26 years, 145 days	15 March 1990 — 29 December 1992	Fernando Collor 1984
Vacant; The President was divorced.				29 December 1992 — 1 January 1995	Itamar Franco Divorced
34		Ruth Cardoso 19 September 1930 – 24 June 2008 (77 years)	64 years, 104 days	1 January 1995 — 1 January 2003	Fernando Henrique Cardoso February, 1953
35		Marisa Letícia 7 April 1950 – 3 February 2017 (66 years)	52 years, 269 days	1 January 2003 — 1 January 2011	Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva 25 May 1974
Vacant; The President was divorced.				1 January 2011 — 31 August 2016	Dilma Rousseff Divorced
36		Marcela Temer Born (1983-05-16) 16 May 1983 (age 38)	33 years, 107 days	31 August 2016 — 31 December 2018	Michel Temer 26 July 2003
37		Michelle Bolsonaro Born (1982-03-22) 22 March 1982 (age 39)	36 years, 285 days	1 January 2019 — present	Jair Bolsonaro 28 November 2007

Other spouses of Brazilian Presidents[]

Two presidents were widowed before their presidencies:

• Rodrigues Alves was married to Ana Guilhermina Alves from 1875 until her death in 1891.
• Humberto Castello Branco was married to Argentina Castello Branco from 1922 until her death in 1963.

Three presidents were widowed and remarried before their presidencies:

• Epitácio Pessoa was married to Francisca Pessoa from 1894 until her death in 1895. He was later married to Mary Pessoa from 1898 until 1942.
• Carlos Luz was married to Maria José da Luz from 1920 until her death in 1924. He was later married to Graciema da Luz from 1927 until 1961.
• Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was married to Maria de Lurdes da Silva from 1969 until her death in 1971. He was later married to Marisa Letícia from 1974 until her death in 2017.

Five presidents were divorced before their presidencies:

• Fernando Collor was married to Lilibeth Monteiro de Carvalho from 1975 to 1981.
• Itamar Franco was married to Ana Elisa Surerus from 1968 to 1978.
• Dilma Rousseff was married to Claudio Linhares from 1967 to 1969 and to Carlos Araújo from 1969 to 2000.
• Michel Temer was married to Maria Célia de Toledo from 1969 to 1987.
• Jair Bolsonaro was married to Rogéria Nantes Braga and Ana Cristina Valle.

Two presidents remarried after their presidencies:

• Fernando Collor has been married to Caroline Collor since 2006.
• Fernando Henrique Cardoso has been married to Patrícia Kundrát since 2014.

Wives of the military of the provisional governing boards[]

• Josefa Tasso Fragoso, wife of Augusto Tasso Fragoso, general of the Brazilian Military Junta of 1930.
• Leonor de Noronha, wife of Isaías de Noronha, admiral of the Brazilian Military Junta of 1930.
• Ernestina Menna Barreto, wife of João de Deus Menna Barreto, general of the Brazilian Military Junta of 1930.
• Isolina of Lyra Tavares, wife of Aurélio de Lyra Tavares, general of the Brazilian Military Junta of 1969.
• Ruth Rademaker, wife of Augusto Rademaker, Admiral of the Brazilian Military Junta of 1969.
• Zilda de Souza Mello, wife of Márcio de Souza Mello, Brigadier of the Brazilian Military Junta of 1969.

Living former first ladies[]

To date, four former first ladies are alive. In order of service are:

• 

  Maria Thereza Goulart
  served of 1961–64
  born 1940 (age 81)
  widow of João Goulart

• 

  Marly Sarney
  served of 1985–90
  born 1932 (age 89)
  wife of José Sarney

• 

  Marcela Temer
  served of 2016–19
  born 1983 (age 38)
  wife of Michel Temer

The most recent former first lady to die was Marisa Leticia on 3 February 2017, aged 66. The largest number of former living first ladies were twelve, between 15 April 1964 and 17 July 1965, when Nair de Teffé, Francisca Ribeiro, Clelia Bernardes, Darcy Vargas, Luzia Linhares, Jandira Café, Graciema da Luz, Beatriz Ramos, Sarah Kubitschek, Eloá Quadros, Sylvia Mazzilli, and Maria Thereza Goulart were all alive; and between 15 March 1967 and 24 June 1968, when Nair de Teffé, Clélia Bernardes, Darcy Vargas, Luzia Linhares, Jandira Café, Graciema of Light, Beatriz Ramos, Sarah Kubitschek, Eloá Quadros, Sylvia Mazzilli, Maria Thereza Goulart and Antonietta Castello Branco were all alive.