Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid
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| Colombia Ambassador to Austria | |
| In office 1966–1968 |
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| President | Carlos Lleras Restrepo |
| Preceded by | Ignacio Escobar López |
| Succeeded by | Vicente Huertas de Francisco |
| 10th Minister of Communications of Colombia | |
| In office 1 September 1961 – 7 August 1962 |
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| President | Alberto Lleras Camargo |
| Preceded by | Carlos Martín Leyes |
| Succeeded by | Alfredo Araújo Grau |
| Senator of Colombia | |
| In office 20 July 1958 – 1 September 1961 |
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| In office 1966–1967 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Maria Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid
7 January 1921 Palmira, Valle del Cauca, Colombia |
| Died | 16 April 1997 (aged 76) Bogotá, D.C., Colombia |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouses | Samuel Uribe Hoyos (1946–1968) Francisco Cuevas Cancino (1968–1997) |
| Alma mater | University of Cauca (LLB, 1939) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Maria Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid (born January 7, 1921 – died April 16, 1997) was an important Colombian politician. She was a strong supporter of women's suffrage, which means women's right to vote. Esmeralda Arboleda made history as the first woman ever elected to the Senate of Colombia. She served in this role from 1958 to 1961.
She was a key leader in the movement that fought for women's voting rights in Colombia. Along with another activist, Josefina Valencia Muñoz, she was one of the first women to hold a national legislative position in Colombia. This happened in 1954, when they joined the National Constituent Assembly. There, they helped create a law that changed the Colombian Constitution. This change finally gave all women the right to vote. Esmeralda Arboleda also served as the 10th Minister of Communications of Colombia. Later, she became Colombia's Ambassador to Austria and worked as a representative for Colombia at the United Nations.
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Esmeralda Arboleda's Early Life
Esmeralda Arboleda was born in Palmira, Colombia. Her father, Fernando Arboleda Lopez, was the mayor of Palmira. Her mother was Rosa Cadavid Medina. Esmeralda had five sisters: Pubenza, Fabiola, Violeta, Mireya, and Soffy. She was named after the character Esmeralda from the famous book The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.
She studied law at the University of Cauca and became a Lawyer in 1939. After finishing her studies, she started working as a lawyer in Cali. She focused on labour law, especially on fair pay for workers.
Fighting for Women's Rights
Later, Esmeralda Arboleda moved to Bogotá and became very involved in the women's suffrage movement. This movement aimed to get women the right to vote. She joined the National Feminist Organization of Colombia. This group was led by important women like María Currea Manrique and former First Lady of Colombia Bertha Hernández Fernández.
In 1953, General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla took power in Colombia through a military coup d'état. This caused a disagreement among women's rights activists. Some supported the new government, while others opposed it. Esmeralda Arboleda strongly disagreed with the military rule. She openly spoke out against the President.
A Historic Step for Women
Despite the political tension, President Rojas decided to appoint two women to the National Constituent Assembly. This assembly was responsible for making new laws. Esmeralda Arboleda was chosen to represent the Liberal Party. Josefina Valencia Muñoz represented the Conservative Party. This was a huge moment, as they became the first women to serve in a national law-making body in Colombia.
In the assembly, they worked hard to introduce a law about women's citizenship. On August 25, 1954, the assembly approved "Legislative Act No. 3." This act changed Article 171 of the Colombian Constitution of 1886. It finally gave all Colombian women the right to vote. This was a major victory for women's rights in the country.
Facing Challenges and Exile
Esmeralda Arboleda continued to speak out against President Rojas's government. Because of her strong opinions, she faced harassment and threats. The government even pressured her husband's workplace to fire him, hoping to silence her. The situation became very serious when a group of men tried to kidnap her.
To stay safe, she went into exile with her husband and child. They moved to Boston, where her sister Violeta lived. She returned to Colombia in 1958, as the military rule was ending.
A Pioneer in Politics
After returning, Esmeralda Arboleda ran for office in the 1958 elections. She was elected as a Senator of Colombia. On July 20, 1958, she was sworn in as the first female senator in Colombia's history. This was a groundbreaking achievement.
On September 1, 1961, President Alberto Lleras Camargo appointed her as the Minister of Communications. She held this important position until the end of President Lleras's term. She also served as Colombia's Ambassador to Austria. At the same time, she was the Ambassador to Yugoslavia and a representative to the United Nations International Organizations in Vienna.
In 1968, President Carlos Lleras Restrepo appointed her as the Deputy Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations. While working at the United Nations, she met Francisco Cuevas Cancino, who was Mexico's representative. They married in 1968 at the United Nations Headquarters. Esmeralda Arboleda also worked as a Special Rapporteur for the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. She was also a consultant for UNESCO during International Women's Year.
Personal Life and Family
Esmeralda Arboleda married Samuel Uribe Hoyos in August 1947. They had one child, a son named Sergio. Samuel Uribe passed away in 1968. Later that year, Esmeralda married Mexican diplomat Francisco Cuevas Cancino.
Esmeralda Arboleda Cadavid died on April 16, 1997, after battling breast cancer.
Esmeralda Arboleda's Legacy
Much of Esmeralda Arboleda's important work and documents are kept at the Luis Ángel Arango Library in Bogotá. Her son, Sergio, donated these materials so that future generations could learn from her contributions.
On International Women's Day in 2021, the President of Colombia, Iván Duque Márquez, and the Vice President, Marta Lucía Ramírez, created a special award. It is called the Esmeralda Arboleda Order of Merit. This award honors people who have fought for gender equality and for women's right to vote in Colombia.
In 2022, it was announced that a movie about Esmeralda Arboleda's life was being made. The Spanish-language film is called Estimados Señores (Dear Gentlemen). It is written and directed by Patricia Castañeda and will star Julieth Restrepo as Esmeralda Arboleda.
See also
In Spanish: Esmeralda Arboleda para niños
