Women leaders in Latin America

With the election victory of 54-year-old Michelle Bachelet as Chile´s first female president, this is a good time for a summary of the women who have served as heads of government in Latin America.

·Violeta Barríos de Chamorro (1990-96) actually became the first popular elected woman president of a Latin American nation when she assumed office in Nicaragua after defeating the Sandinistas, who ruled the country for 10 years. The 1978 slaying of her husband, La Prensa publisher Pedro Chamorro, was the turning point in the overthrow of dictator Anastasio Somoza the following year. Mrs. Chamorro served on the Sandinista junta but distanced herself when the new government became chummy with Fidel Castro.

·Isabel Martínez de Perón (1974-76) of Argentina became the first woman president in Latin America when her husband Juan Perón died. "Isabelita," as she was known, had served as his vice president and the transfer of power was swift after the old caudillo´s funeral. With spiraling inflation and internal strife caused by urban terrorist groups, the military seized power in a coup and Mrs. Perón was placed under arrest. She was later allowed to leave the country for Spain in 1980, and didn´t return to Argentina until democratic rule was once again established.

·Lidia Gueiler Tejada (1979-1980) served briefly as interim president of Bolivia following a coup in that country. Congress selected her to lead a transitional government until free elections could be held. The vote never occurred and Mrs. Gueiler was overthrown in another coup. She lived in Chile and in France before returning to Bolivia in the 1980s. She served as her country´s ambassador to Venezuela. Last year, the 84-year-old Gueiler came out in favor of president-elect Evo Morales.

·Mireya Moscoso (1999-2004), the widow of former President Arnulfo Arías, was swept into office in Panama with massive popular support. However, the administration of this former interior designer was continuously rocked by scandal after scandal. She blamed Fidel Castro for causing the strife because she had pardoned several Cuban exiles who were charged with plotting to kill the Cuban leader. When she left office, her popularity was at its lowest ever for a Panamanian president. She now lives in Miami.

·Sila María Calderón (2001-2004) became Puerto Rico´s first female governor after a landslide victory over the pro-statehood party candidate in this U.S. commonwealth. The daughter of a hotel-owner and influential businessman, Calderón campaigned on cleaning up corruption, which ran rampant in the previous government. She shocked her closest advisors and supporters when she announced in an emotional televised address in 2003 that she would not seek a second term.