Bertha Hernández Fernández Explained

Bertha Hernández Fernández
Office:Senator of Colombia
Office2:First Lady of Colombia
Term Label2:In role
President2:Mariano Ospina Pérez
Predecessor2:María Michelsen de López
Successor2:María Hurtado de Gómez
Birth Date:17 April 1907
Birth Place:Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Death Place:Fusagasugá, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Nationality:Colombian
Party:Conservative

Bertha Hernández Fernández (17 April 1907 – 11 September 1993)[1] was the wife of the 17th President of Colombia, Mariano Ospina Pérez, and served as First Lady of Colombia from 1946 to 1950.[2] A Conservative party politician, she was elected Senator of Colombia in 1970 and served until 1974.

A leader of the women's suffrage movement in Colombia, she was Chair of the National Feminist Organization of Colombia, a feminist, suffragist organization that aimed to bring together Colombian women regardless of political ideology or socio-economic status to lobby and work towards political recognition, inclusion, and participation for women. Founded in 1954 by Josefina Valencia Muñoz and Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid, she served as its first Chair with María Currea Manrique as her Deputy.[3]

Personal life

Bertha was born on 17 April 1907 in Medellín, Antioquia to Antonio María Hernández Suárez and Mercedes Fernández Echavarría. She married Mariano Ospina Pérez on 18 July 1926 at the Christian Brothers Chapel in Medellín.[4] Mariano and Bertha had five children: Mariano, Rodrigo, Fernando, Gonzalo, and María Clara.

Notes and References

  1. Bertha Hernández de Ospina, ex senadora colombiana. El País. 15 September 1993. 6 November 2012. Bertha Hernández de Ospina, former Colombian senator. 0211-9366. Madrid. Spanish. 0211-9366. 12670792.
  2. Ríos Peñaloza. Gilma. Primeras Damas del Siglo XX. Credencial Historia. 1 August 1996. 80. 6 November 2012. First Ladies of the 20th Century. Colombia, Bank of the Republic. Bogotá. Spanish. 0121-3296. 39236834.
  3. Book: 40 años del voto de la mujer en Colombia. 1998. Bogotá. 978-958-96123-6-1. Colombia, National Directorate for Women´s Equity. Spanish.
  4. Book: Ospina Hernández, María Clara. Doña Bertha. 1998. Planeta Colombiana Ed. Bogotá. 978-958-614-682-1. 253303869. 53. Spanish.