Second Lady of Brazil (Portuguese: Segunda-dama do Brasil) is a title given to the hostess of the Jaburu Palace. This title is less used when compared to the title of First Lady of Brazil.

Second Lady of Brazil
Current
Lu Alckmin
since 1 January 2023
StyleDona
ResidencePalácio do Jaburu
Inaugural holderJosina Peixoto
Formation26 February 1891
(133 years ago)
 (1891-02-26)

The term second lady, made in contrast to first lady (who is almost all the time the spouse of the president), was used by Josina Peixoto (whose husband, Floriano Peixoto, was vice president in 1891) to refer to the spouse of the Vice President.[1]

The visibility of the Second Lady in the public sphere has been a recent development[2] besides the role of the First Lady as hostess of the Alvorada Palace (previously the Catete Palace and the Itamaraty Palace) dates from the beginning of the republic.

Ten Second Ladies became First Ladies of Brazil during her spouses tenures as president. The first was Josina Peixora, wife of Floriano Peixoto, who was the first Vice President in 1891 and the second President from 1891 to 1894. The last one was Marcela Temer, wife of Michel Temer, who had served as 24th Vice President from 2011 to 2016 and 37th President from 2016 to 2019. Mariquita Aleixo wasn't officially established as First Lady, as her husband was prevented from assuming office. Only Francisca Ribeiro was First Lady and later assumed the role of Second Lady.

The current Second Lady of Brazil is Lu Alckmin, wife of 26th Vice President of Brazil Geraldo Alckmin.[3]

History

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Vice President Aureliano Chaves with Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands (center) and Second Lady Vivi Chaves (right).

Even no country concedes any legal power to the Second Ladies, their roles frequently include hosting during reception in the vice presidential residence, to escort the Vice President in official trips and many ceremonial duties. Recently, the vice presidential spouses assume public roles which attracted significant attention from the media.

In 2011, Marcela Temer, wife of 24th Vice President Michel Temer, was involved with president Dilma Rousseff in the Prevention and Treatment of Cervical and Breast Cancer program, which was launched in Amazon Theatre.[4]

Paula Mourão launched the Clean Hands, Healthy Life campaign in April 2020, along the Brazilian Culture Institute, with the objective of raise donaitions of soaps and alcohol gel to be distributed in Brasília, federal capital, with destination to poor people who are in social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.[5] Followed by a voluntary team, Paula distributed 4,000 hygiene kits to families of poor communities of Itapoã and Sol Nascente, who live in vulnerable situation. In Jabiru's Palace, the Second Lady formalized the deliver of the donations to Itapoã administrator, to the Commander of the 2nd Western Regional Policing Command and to the Commander of the 2nd Military Police Battalion, who conducted the donations and distributed them to the needy.[6][7]

There were 14 vacancies of the role, the longest one had been the 16 years landmark between Clotilde de Mello Vianna and Beatriz Ramos. This vacancy occurred due to the abolition of the office of Vice President of Brazil during the Vargas Era. The most recent period without a Second Lady was between Marcela Temer and Paula Mourão.

The youngest Second Lady in history was Maria Thereza Goulart, aged 19 when assumed the role. The oldest was Mariza Gomes, aged 67. Gomes' record will be surpassed on 1 January 2023, when Lu Alckmin will assume role at the age of 71.

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List of second ladies of Brazil

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Image Second Lady Vice President
Marriage date
Tenure Date of birth Date of death (age) Tenure as First Lady
  Josina Peixoto Floriano Peixoto
11 May 1872
26 February 1891 – 23 November 1891 9 August 1857 5 November 1911 (54 years, 88 days) 1891–1894
Vacant; no vice president 23 November 1891 – 15 November 1894
  Amélia Pereira Manuel Vitorino
1881
15 November 1894 – 15 November 1898 14 November 1863 Unknown date
Vacant; Francisco Rosa e Silva was a widower 15 November 1898 – 15 November 1902
  Esther Brandão Silviano Brandão
1889
[a] 22 October 1968 25 July 1956 (87 years, 277 days)
Vacant; no vice president 15 November 1902 – 17 June 1903
  Guilhermina Pena Afonso Pena
23 January 1875
17 June 1903 – 15 November 1906 21 June 1857 14 July 1929 (72 years, 23 days) 1906–1909
  Anita Peçanha Nilo Peçanha
6 December 1895
15 November 1906 – 14 June 1909 21 March 1876 9 April 1960 (84 years, 19 days) 1909–1910
Vacant; no vice president 14 June 1909 – 15 November 1910
  Maria Pereira Gomes Venceslau Brás
12 September 1892
15 November 1910 – 15 November 1914 19 August 1875 14 August 1925 (49 years, 360 days) 1914–1918
  Filomena Araújo Urbano Santos
6 February 1888
14 November 1914 – 15 November 1918 21 March 1868 3 August 1948 (80 years, 135 days)
  Francisca Ribeiro Delfim Moreira
11 April 1891
15 November 1918 – 1 July 1920 9 October 1873 18 July 1965 (91 years, 282 days) 1918–1919[b]
  Antonietta de Paiva Bueno de Paiva
12 February 1887
10 November 1920 – 15 November 1922 7 August 1873 4 July 1955 (−18 years, 34 days)
  Joanna Coimbra Estácio Coimbra
1893
15 November 1922 – 15 November 1926 25 December 1873 18 October 1962 (88 years, 297 days)
  Alfida Viana Fernando de Melo Viana
June 1906
15 November 1926 – 14 January 1928 10 June 1876 14 January 1928 (51 years, 218 days)
Vacant; Fernando de Melo Viana was a widower 14 January 1928 – 13 November 1928
  Clotilde de Melo Viana Fernando de Melo Viana
13 November 1928
13 November 1928 – 24 October 1930 13 June 1903 17 April 1978 (74 years, 308 days)
Vacant; no vice president 24 October 1930 – 19 September 1946
  Beatriz Ramos Nereu Ramos
15 August 1916
19 September 1946 – 31 January 1951 9 October 1898 1 June 1991 (92 years, 235 days) 1955–1956
  Jandira Café Café Filho
17 September 1921
31 January 1951 – 24 August 1954 17 September 1903 28 February 1989 (85 years, 164 days) 1954–1955
Vacant; no vice president 24 August 1954 – 31 January 1956
  Maria Thereza Goulart João Goulart
26 April 1955
31 January 1956 – 25 August 1961 23 August 1936 88 years, 91 days 1961–1964
Vacant; no vice president 25 August 1961 – 15 April 1964
  Dasdores Alkmin José Maria Alkmin
February 1930
15 April 1964 – 15 March 1967 4 September 1902 24 April 2000 (97 years, 233 days)
  Mariquita Aleixo Pedro Aleixo
29 October 1925
15 March 1967 – 31 August 1969 7 November 1905 21 June 1989 (83 years, 226 days) [c]
Vacant; no vice president 31 August 1969 – 30 October 1969
  Ruth Rademaker Augusto Rademaker
31 January 1940
30 October 1969 – 15 March 1974 26 March 1913 24 October 1995 (82 years, 212 days)
Vacant; Adalberto Pereira dos Santos was a widower 15 March 1974 – 15 March 1979
  Vivi Chaves Aureliano Chaves
3 May 1954
15 March 1979 – 15 March 1985 8 August 1929 11 October 2002 (73 years, 64 days)
  Marly Sarney José Sarney
12 July 1952
15 March 1985 – 21 April 1985 4 December 1932 91 years, 354 days 1985–1990
Vacant; no vice president 21 April 1985 – 15 March 1990
Vacant; Itamar Franco was divorced 15 March 1990 – 29 December 1992
Vacant; no vice president 29 December 1992 – 1 January 1995
  Anna Maria Maciel Marco Maciel
28 December 1967
1 January 1995 – 1 January 2003 20 March 1941 83 years, 247 days
  Mariza Gomes José Alencar
9 November 1957
1 January 2003 – 1 January 2011 19 March 1935 89 years, 258 days
  Marcela Temer Michel Temer
26 July 2003
1 January 2011 – 31 August 2016 16 May 1983 41 years, 190 days 2016–2018
Vacant; no vice president 31 August 2016 – 1 January 2019
  Paula Mourão Hamilton Mourão
11 October 2018
1 January 2019 – 1 January 2023 2 May 1976 48 years, 204 days
  Lu Alckmin Geraldo Alckmin
16 March 1979
1 January 2023 – present 28 December 1951 72 years, 330 days

Other spouses of Brazilian vice presidents

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Various other spouses of vice presidents of Brazil are not considered as second ladies of Brazil because their marriages were not during the vice presidential terms of their husbands.

Two Brazilian vice presidents were widowed prior to their vice presidencies:

Two Brazilian vice presidents were widowed and remarried prior to their vice presidencies:

  • Fernando de Melo Viana was married to Maria José de Melo Viana. He was subsequently married to Alfrida Viana from 1906 until her death in 1928.
  • Hamilton Mourão was married to Elisabeth Mourão from 1976 until her death in 2016. He has subsequently been married to Paula de Oliveira since 2018.

One Brazilian vice president was divorced prior to his vice presidency:

  • Itamar Franco was married to Ana Elisa Surerus from 1968 until 1978.

One Brazilian vice president was divorced and remarried prior to his vice presidency:

One Brazilian vice president remarried after his vice presidency:

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Esther Brandão didn't assume her role as Second Lady, as her husband died before inauguration.
  2. ^ Due to the illness and consequent death of President-elect Rodrigues Alves, Vice President Delfim Moreira assumed office as President from 15 November 1918 to 28 July 1919.
  3. ^ Due to the illness and death of president Costa e Silva, Pedro Aleixo was supposed to assume the office, but he was prevented by the 1969 military junta.

References

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  1. ^ "As Primeiras Damas". Biblioteca Nacional (in Portuguese) (682). Manchete: 42–43. 1965. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  2. ^ "A função da segunda-dama". O Antagonista (in Portuguese). 16 April 2020. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  3. ^ Costa, Anna Gabriela (30 October 2022). "Saiba quem é Lu Alckmin, esposa do vice-presidente eleito Geraldo Alckmin". CNN Brasil (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 31 October 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Com Hebe e Marcela Temer, Dilma lança programa de saúde". Último Segundo (in Portuguese). 22 March 2011. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  5. ^ Chaves, Marcelo (2 April 2020). "Campanha de Paula Mourão, mulher do vice-presidente Hamilton Mourão, e muito mais na coluna. Confira!". Jornal de Brasília (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  6. ^ Chaves, Marcelo (20 April 2020). "Ação social de Paula Mourão, mulher do vice-presidente Hamilton Mourão, e muito mais na coluna. Confira!". Jornal de Brasília (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  7. ^ Marques, Kelly (16 April 2020). "CPRO recebe 2 mil kits de higiene pessoal e cestas básicas de Paula Mourão". Polícia Militar do Distrito Federal (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.