Adela Van Severen Explained
Adela Van Severen de Contreras (1909 – December 9, 2007) was a Salvadoran politician, recognized as the first woman to serve as mayor in all of El Salvador.[1] [2]
Born in San Salvador in 1909, Van Severen was educated in the United States. She then settled in the city of Santa Tecla with her husband, José Luis Contreras, and became involved in municipal politics.[3] [4] In 1954, she was chosen to take over the term of incumbent Santa Tecla Mayor José Marcos Biguer, and the following year she was elected directly, becoming the first female mayor in El Salvador.[5] [6] [7] Women had fully earned the right to vote in El Salvador only five years prior, under the Constitution of 1950.[8]
Among her accomplishments as mayor was overseeing the pavement of the city's streets. She served in the post until 1958.
Van Severen remained in Santa Tecla until her death in 2007, at age 98.[9]
A park in Santa Tecla was named in her honor in 2015.[10]
References
- Web site: 2018-03-07. 22 mujeres influyentes en la historia de El Salvador. 2020-09-25. Noticias de El Salvador - elsalvador.com. es.
- Web site: 2015-07-29. Nombran parque en honor de primera alcaldesa. 2020-09-25. La Prensa Gráfica. es-ES.
- Book: Santa Tecla : cronología. 2004. Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes. Contreras Callejas, Juan José., Alvarado Cea Campo, Mauricio., Alvarado, Angela Margarita.. 99923-0-141-4. 1.. San Salvador, El Salvador. 57071898.
- Alvarado España. Mauricio Alberto. 2020. La mujer en la diplomacia salvadoreña. Instituto Especializado de Educación Superior Para la Formación Diplomática.
- Web site: 2020-08-04. ALCALDESAS EN LA HISTORIA DE SANTA TECLA. 2020-09-25. Diario Co Latino. es.
- Web site: 2011-09-12. ISDEMU participa en evento cívico. 2020-09-25. Instituto Salvadoreño para el Desarrollo de la Mujer.
- Web site: 2015-07-29. 'Adela Van Severen de Contreras' es nuevo parque para los tecleños. 2020-09-25. Noticias de El Salvador. es.
- Book: ¡Titaketzakan Nawat! ¡Tikishmatikan ne tunelwayu!. Ministerio de Educación. 2018.
- Web site: Généalogie de Adela VAN SEVEREN. 2020-09-25. Geneanet. fr.
- Web site: Inauguración de Parque Adela Van Severen. 2020-09-25. Alcaldía de Santa Tecla.