| Post: | Second Lady of Brazil |
| Incumbentlabel: | Current |
| Incumbent: | Lu Alckmin |
| Incumbentsince: | 1 January 2023 |
| Style: | Dona |
| Residence: | Palácio do Jaburu |
| Inaugural: | Josina Peixoto |
Second Lady of Brazil (Portuguese: Segunda-dama do Brasil) is a title given to the hostess of the Jaburu Palace. This title is less used when compared to the title of First Lady of Brazil.
The term second lady, made in contrast to first lady (who is almost all the time the spouse of the president), was used by Josina Peixoto (whose husband, Floriano Peixoto, was vice president in 1891) to refer to the spouse of the Vice President.[1]
The visibility of the Second Lady in the public sphere has been a recent development[2] besides the role of the First Lady as hostess of the Alvorada Palace (previously the Catete Palace and the Itamaraty Palace) dates from the beginning of the republic.
Ten Second Ladies became First Ladies of Brazil during her spouses tenures as president. The first was Josina Peixora, wife of Floriano Peixoto, who was the first Vice President in 1891 and the second President from 1891 to 1894. The last one was Marcela Temer, wife of Michel Temer, who had served as 24th Vice President from 2011 to 2016 and 37th President from 2016 to 2019. Mariquita Aleixo wasn't officially established as First Lady, as her husband was prevented from assuming office. Only Francisca Ribeiro was First Lady and later assumed the role of Second Lady.
The current Second Lady of Brazil is Lu Alckmin, wife of 26th Vice President of Brazil Geraldo Alckmin.[3]
Even no country concedes any legal power to the Second Ladies, their roles frequently include hosting during reception in the vice presidential residence, to escort the Vice President in official trips and many ceremonial duties. Recently, the vice presidential spouses assume public roles which attracted significant attention from the media.
In 2011, Marcela Temer, wife of 24th Vice President Michel Temer, was involved with president Dilma Rousseff in the Prevention and Treatment of Cervical and Breast Cancer program, which was launched in Amazon Theatre.[4]
Paula Mourão launched the Clean Hands, Healthy Life campaign in April 2020, along the Brazilian Culture Institute, with the objective of raise donaitions of soaps and alcohol gel to be distributed in Brasília, federal capital, with destination to poor people who are in social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.[5] Followed by a voluntary team, Paula distributed 4,000 hygiene kits to families of poor communities of Itapoã and Sol Nascente, who live in vulnerable situation. In Jabiru's Palace, the Second Lady formalized the deliver of the donations to Itapoã administrator, to the Commander of the 2nd Western Regional Policing Command and to the Commander of the 2nd Military Police Battalion, who conducted the donations and distributed them to the needy.[6] [7]
There were 14 vacancies of the role, the longest one had been the 16 years landmark between Clotilde de Mello Vianna and Beatriz Ramos. This vacancy occurred due to the abolition of the office of Vice President of Brazil during the Vargas Era. The most recent period without a Second Lady was between Marcela Temer and Paula Mourão.
The youngest Second Lady in history was Maria Thereza Goulart, aged 19 when assumed the role. The oldest was Mariza Gomes, aged 67. Gomes' record will be surpassed on 1 January 2023, when Lu Alckmin will assume role at the age of 71.
| Image | Second Lady | Vice President | Tenure | Date of birth | Date of death (age) | Tenure as First Lady | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josina Peixoto | Floriano Peixoto | 26 February 1891 – 23 November 1891 | 9 August 1857 | 5 November 1911 | 1891–1894 | ||
| Vacant; no vice president | 23 November 1891 – 15 November 1894 | ||||||
| Amélia Pereira | Manuel Vitorino | 15 November 1894 – 15 November 1898 | 14 November 1863 | Unknown date | |||
| Vacant; Francisco Rosa e Silva was a widower | 15 November 1898 – 15 November 1902 | ||||||
| Esther Brandão | Silviano Brandão | – | 22 October 1968 | 25 July 1956 | |||
| Vacant; no vice president | 15 November 1902 – 17 June 1903 | ||||||
| Guilhermina Pena | Afonso Pena | 17 June 1903 – 15 November 1906 | 21 June 1857 | 14 July 1929 | 1906–1909 | ||
| Anita Peçanha | Nilo Peçanha | 15 November 1906 – 14 June 1909 | 21 March 1876 | 9 April 1960 | 1909–1910 | ||
| Vacant; no vice president | 14 June 1909 – 15 November 1910 | ||||||
| Maria Pereira Gomes | Venceslau Brás | 15 November 1910 – 15 November 1914 | 19 August 1875 | 14 August 1925 | 1914–1918 | ||
| Filomena Araújo | Urbano Santos | 14 November 1914 – 15 November 1918 | 21 March 1868 | 3 August 1948 | |||
| Francisca Ribeiro | Delfim Moreira | 15 November 1918 – 1 July 1920 | 9 October 1873 | 18 July 1965 | 1918–1919 | ||
| Antonietta de Paiva | Bueno de Paiva | 10 November 1920 – 15 November 1922 | 7 August 1873 | 4 July 1955 | |||
| Joanna Coimbra | Estácio Coimbra | 15 November 1922 – 15 November 1926 | 25 December 1873 | 18 October 1962 | |||
| Alfida Viana | Fernando de Melo Viana | 15 November 1926 – 14 January 1928 | 10 June 1876 | 14 January 1928 | |||
| Vacant; Fernando de Melo Viana was a widower | 14 January 1928 – 13 November 1928 | ||||||
| Clotilde de Melo Viana | Fernando de Melo Viana | 13 November 1928 – 24 October 1930 | 13 June 1903 | 17 April 1978 | |||
| Vacant; no vice president | 24 October 1930 – 19 September 1946 | ||||||
| Beatriz Ramos | Nereu Ramos | 19 September 1946 – 31 January 1951 | 9 October 1898 | 1 June 1991 | 1955–1956 | ||
| Jandira Café | Café Filho | 31 January 1951 – 24 August 1954 | 17 September 1903 | 28 February 1989 | 1954–1955 | ||
| Vacant; no vice president | 24 August 1954 – 31 January 1956 | ||||||
| Maria Thereza Goulart | João Goulart | 31 January 1956 – 25 August 1961 | 23 August 1936 | 1961–1964 | |||
| Vacant; no vice president | 25 August 1961 – 15 April 1964 | ||||||
| Dasdores Alkmin | José Maria Alkmin | 15 April 1964 – 15 March 1967 | 4 September 1902 | 24 April 2000 | |||
| Mariquita Aleixo | Pedro Aleixo | 15 March 1967 – 31 August 1969 | 7 November 1905 | 21 June 1989 | |||
| Vacant; no vice president | 31 August 1969 – 30 October 1969 | ||||||
| Ruth Rademaker | Augusto Rademaker | 30 October 1969 – 15 March 1974 | 26 March 1913 | 24 October 1995 | |||
| Vacant; Adalberto Pereira dos Santos was a widower | 15 March 1974 – 15 March 1979 | ||||||
| Vivi Chaves | Aureliano Chaves | 15 March 1979 – 15 March 1985 | 8 August 1929 | 11 October 2002 | |||
| Marly Sarney | José Sarney | 15 March 1985 – 21 April 1985 | 4 December 1932 | 1985–1990 | |||
| Vacant; no vice president | 21 April 1985 – 15 March 1990 | ||||||
| Vacant; Itamar Franco was divorced | 15 March 1990 – 29 December 1992 | ||||||
| Vacant; no vice president | 29 December 1992 – 1 January 1995 | ||||||
| Anna Maria Maciel | Marco Maciel | 1 January 1995 – 1 January 2003 | 20 March 1941 | ||||
| Mariza Gomes | José Alencar | 1 January 2003 – 1 January 2011 | 19 March 1935 | ||||
| Marcela Temer | Michel Temer | 1 January 2011 – 31 August 2016 | 16 May 1983 | 2016–2018 | |||
| Vacant; no vice president | 31 August 2016 – 1 January 2019 | ||||||
| Paula Mourão | Hamilton Mourão | 1 January 2019 – 1 January 2023 | 2 May 1976 | ||||
| Lu Alckmin | Geraldo Alckmin | 1 January 2023 – present | 28 December 1951 | ||||
Various other spouses of vice presidents of Brazil are not considered as second ladies of Brazil because their marriages were not during the vice presidential terms of their husbands.
Two Brazilian vice presidents were widowed prior to their vice presidencies:
Two Brazilian vice presidents were widowed and remarried prior to their vice presidencies:
One Brazilian vice president was divorced prior to his vice presidency:
One Brazilian vice president was divorced and remarried prior to his vice presidency:
One Brazilian vice president remarried after his vice presidency: