María Michelsen de López
 |
María Michelsen Lombana | |
|---|---|
| First Lady of Colombia | |
| In role 7 August 1942 – 7 August 1945 | |
| President | Alfonso López Pumarejo |
| Preceded by | Lorenza Villegas Restrepo |
| Succeeded by | Bertha Hernández Fernández |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 February 1890 Bogota, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
| Died | 22 January 1949 (aged 58) Bogota, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse | Alfonso López Pumarejo (1911–1949) |
| Children |
|
María Michelsen Lombana (February 17, 1890 – January 22, 1949) was the First Lady of Colombia for two periods, the first time, from 1934 to 1938, and the second time from 1942 to 1945, when her husband Alfonso López Pumarejo was president of the Republic of Colombia.
Early life
María was born in Bogotá, on February 17, 1890, daughter of the scientist Carlos Michelsen Uribe and Antonia Lombana Barreneche.
She married Alfonso López Pumarejo on August 19, 1911. From the López Michelsen marriage come five children: María, Alfonso López Michelsen, Pedro, María Mercedes and Femando.
First Lady of Colombia
With the government of López Pumarejo and with the help of his wife María Michelsen Lombana, a new era was inaugurated in the Nariño Palace, as the name of First Lady of Colombia to refer to the president's wife who was going to be there at a certain time ruling Colombia. To María Michelsen they owe, among other things: The Amparo for Abandoned Children, inaugurated on November 22, 1934, the School of the Daughters of María de las Esclavas. He collaborated with the San Antonio Asylum and with the San Rafael Clinic. Also, she was the promoter of social work in Colombia, for all the work she did in the country she was decorated with the Cross of Boyacá in 1948.
Last years and death
After her husband Alfonso López Pumarejo stopped ruling the country in 1945, María Michelsen continued promoting and working with the social work that she had been doing for several years. He died in Bogotá on January 22, 1949.