| María Beatriz Paret | |
|---|---|
| First Lady of Ecuador | |
| In role April 20, 2005 – January 15, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Ximena Bohórquez |
| Succeeded by | Anne Malherbe Gosselin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | María Beatriz Paret Lértora Guayaquil, Ecuador |
| Spouse | Alfredo Palacio |
| Children | 4 |
| Occupation | Physician |
María Beatriz Paret Lértora is an Ecuadorian physician. She served as the First Lady of Ecuador from April 20, 2005, to January 15, 2007, as the wife of President Alfredo Palacio.
Biography
María Beatriz Paret was born in Guayaquil. She graduated as a doctor in pediatrics.
She married Alfredo Palacio in a ceremony held in Guayaquil. They have had four children together.
She moved to Miami in 1999 to care for her grandchildren and to run a preschool. She returned to Ecuador when her husband was elected President in 2005.
First Lady
As the First Lady of Ecuador, Paret was president of the National Institute for Children and the Family (INNFA). She also served in the traditional role of hostess of Carondelet Palace and her husband's companion at various ceremonial events at the national and international level.
During her tenure with the INNFA, she achieved a greater budget allocation, drawing 3.5% of oil revenues, increasing to 5% toward the end of her term. She promoted the Universal Health Insurance Plan (AUS), which was intended to provide all Ecuadorians access to health insurance within five years. In November 2006, she signed an agreement to provide money for food and social services for minor children of prison inmates.
She has been a fierce opponent of human trafficking. In her speech at the 2006 conference "Women's Leadership in Latin America and the Caribbean", organized by Vital Voices Global Partnership and the University of Miami, she stated, "These are the true slaves of the 21st century", and "The definitive and complete answer will be to promote real changes in our countries, to develop State policies that give priority to social investment, the protection of children, and the reduction of poverty." She also established a partnership with the Ricky Martin Foundation to operate a hotline for complaints about human trafficking.
She was twice accused of using public funds to make personal trips, but the government justified the travel expenses as part of her work as First Lady.
References
- "Biografía" (in Spanish). Alfredo Palacio. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- "Primera Dama afirma que temió por la vida de Palacio" [First Lady Claims She Feared for Palacio's Life]. El Universo (in Spanish). May 18, 2005. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- ^ "Primera Dama de Ecuador fortalecerá salud y educación" [First Lady of Ecuador Will Strengthen Health and Education]. ABC Color (in Spanish). June 21, 2005. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- "Primera Dama firmó convenio en la cárcel" [First Lady Signs Agreement at Prison]. La Hora (in Spanish). November 1, 2006. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- ^ "La esclavitud moderna no para" [Modern Slavery Does Not Stop]. La Hora (in Spanish). Miami. EFE. June 11, 2006. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- "Carondelet volvió a justificar los viajes de la Primera Dama" [Carondelet Again Justifies the First Lady's Travels]. El Universo (in Spanish). Quito. September 23, 2005. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2021.