Milagros Ortiz Bosch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Her Excellency Milagros Ortiz Bosch
Ortiz Bosch in 2007
37th Vice President of the Dominican Republic
In office 16 August 2000 – 16 August 2004
President	Hipólito Mejía
Preceded by	Jaime David Fernández Mirabal
Succeeded by	Rafael Alburquerque
Minister of Education of the Dominican Republic
In office 16 August 2000 – 16 August 2004
Preceded by	Ligia Amada Melo
Succeeded by	Alejandrina German
Senator of the Dominican Republic
In office 16 August 1994 – 16 August 2000
President	Leonel Fernández Joaquin Balaguer
Succeeded by	José Tomás Pérez
Personal details
Born	Milagros Maria Ortiz Bosch (1936-08-26) 26 August 1936 (age 88) Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Political party	Modern Revolutionary Party
Other political affiliations	Dominican Revolutionary Party (before 2014)
Spouse	Joaquín Basanta
Children	Juan Basanta

Milagros Ortiz Bosch (born August 26, 1936) is a lawyer, a business expert, and a politician from the Dominican Republic. She made history as the first woman to become Vice President of her country, serving from 2000 to 2004.

She also served as a Senator for the Distrito Nacional twice (1994–1998 and 1998–2000). During her time as Vice President, she was also the Minister of Education for the Dominican Republic.

In 2010, she ran for Senator again but was not elected. Later, in the 2016 Dominican Republic general election, she helped manage the campaign for David Collado, who successfully became the mayor of the National District.

Milagros Ortiz Bosch: Her Early Life

María Milagros Ortiz Bosch was born in Santo Domingo on August 26, 1936. Her parents were Virgilio Ortiz Peña and Ángela Bosch Gaviño.

Growing Up in Challenging Times

When Milagros was a young girl, she often heard her relatives quietly mention her uncle, Juan Bosch. As time went on, her uncle became more admired by her family. However, he also faced strong opposition from the government at that time, led by Rafael Trujillo.

Milagros's family lived under constant pressure from the government. People who were thought to be government informants would often be seen near their home. Even local sellers were suspected of reporting information to the authorities. Her uncle Pepito was often called in for questioning and sometimes held because he was seen as an opponent of the government and was Juan Bosch's brother.

At Santa Teresita School, where Milagros studied, many teachers did not support the Trujillo government. These teachers, like Maricusa Ornes and Natalia Carmen Domínguez, were influenced by the ideas of Eugenio María de Hostos, which focused on human values. Many of them knew or were friends with Juan Bosch.

Life was difficult for the family during this period. Some neighbors faced problems just for being friends with the Ortiz Bosch family. Milagros's grandparents on her mother's side had to leave the country and seek protection because they had foreign citizenship. Her mother, Doña Angelita, who was Juan Bosch's sister, was also closely watched, along with her husband and the rest of the family.

One time, when Milagros was a teenager, a friend's mother told her she couldn't come to a birthday party. This was because Trujillo's daughter, Angelita Trujillo, was going to be there. Milagros was used to this kind of situation. Many people were careful not to upset "The Boss," as Trujillo was called by his supporters. Even as a child, Milagros's parents and grandparents had warned her that their family was not seen as supportive of the government. This meant that Milagros and her cousins often faced unfair treatment. Juan Bosch's son, Leon Bosch, who grew up with his grandparents, was also often targeted.

The End of the Government's Control

On May 30, 1961, a big change happened that surprised Milagros and her family. Young people and university groups in the Dominican Republic were no longer willing to accept the government's control. Milagros's mother, Doña Angelita, was still recovering from a health issue she had a year earlier after hearing about the death of the Mirabal Sisters, who were friends of the Bosch family. Doña Angelita was deeply upset when a government officer, César Villeta, insulted the young sisters who had been killed. Villeta lived near their home.

The news of the leader's death brought great joy, but people still had to be careful. The security forces were very angry and acted harshly against those who had opposed the government. Many people hid, but Milagros continued to fight against the old government's influence. On July 5, 36 days after the leader's death, members of the Dominican Revolutionary Party, Juan Bosch's party, arrived at Punta Caucedo Airport. Juan Bosch was a national hero, a famous writer, and the leader of the party, bringing pride to the family.

Even though Juan Bosch himself didn't arrive then, one of his messengers, Angel Miolán, brought Milagros a special gift: a book called "Cuento de Navidad" (Christmas Story) that her uncle had dedicated to her. This was the first time she saw her uncle's handwriting. She was very eager to meet him in person.

The First Meeting with Her Uncle

In early 1962, Milagros traveled to San Isidro de Coronado in Costa Rica, filled with excitement. She was going to attend a political training course with over 70 Dominicans and three people from Ecuador, including Rodrigo Borja Cevallos, who later became president of Ecuador. Milagros had been delayed because a friend had trouble with her travel documents. Milagros was more excited than anyone else because she was finally going to meet her Uncle Juan. He was a professor for the course and had organized it, preparing for his return to the Dominican Republic as the leader of the PRD.

When she entered the classroom, Milagros was impressed by her uncle's elegant and strong presence. He was 52 years old, with completely white hair, and was considered very handsome. He was at the main table with other important figures like Jimmy Duran and José Francisco Peña Gómez.

Her dream came true. The hug from Uncle Juan was unforgettable. His sister Angelita's daughter was now a grown woman: intelligent, beautiful, cultured, and, most importantly, a big supporter of his political ideas.

Along with Peña Gómez and Rodrigo Borja, Milagros was one of the best students in the course, making her uncle and leader very proud.

A New Path

After that meeting in Costa Rica, Milagros became a very important person in Juan Bosch's political life. She was his personal assistant and stayed by his side through many challenges. When Juan Bosch left the PRD, Milagros was in New York with her son, seeking treatment for his illness. She returned to the Dominican Republic when her uncle called her and immediately joined the effort to form his new party, the PLD. Juan Bosch put her in charge of the education department and then gave her the task of organizing the party.

The first five years were a long process that led to many misunderstandings and some people leaving the PLD. Milagros remained by her uncle's side. However, at some point, she began to feel that she was losing her own political and professional identity. Her life seemed to revolve around her uncle, not just as a leader, but as a family member. Family ties started to feel more important than political ones.

Without fully realizing it, Milagros suddenly understood that she needed space for her own life. This became clear after the 1978 election results. Milagros did not agree with Juan Bosch's plan for the country on May 17 of that year, when there was a crisis because military leaders tried to ignore the election results or form a national unity government.

The following months led to her leaving the PLD and stepping away from politics, and from Uncle Juan, forever. This was a difficult and painful decision. Milagros gathered her closest relatives and told them about her firm choice. There was no turning back.

She didn't need to explain further. Many months later, Milagros began her own career in her old party, the PRD. She started slowly, like someone learning to walk, and then she learned to run on her own. And she ran very far!

Milagros has never said anything disrespectful about her beloved uncle Juan. She didn't while he was alive, and certainly not after his passing. For her, Uncle Juan's memory will always be sacred.

Serving as Senator

Milagros Ortiz Bosch served as a Senator for the Dominican Republic. In this role, she was part of the first National Council of the Magistracy. This council helped create and shape the country's current Supreme Court and the rest of the judicial system.

Her work as a lawmaker was very important. From her position as Senator, Milagros pushed for key initiatives to strengthen the country's institutions. These included the Judicial Reform Act, the Education Reform Act, and the Women Protection Act, among many others.

Vice President and Minister of Education

Milagros Ortiz Bosch served as Vice President of the Republic for four years, chosen by many citizens. At the same time, she also held the position of Minister of Education. She left a strong mark with her leadership, which was known for being very open and honest.

During her four years (2000–2004) as Vice President, she also led the Ministry of Education. She was the president of the National Council on Disability. She also temporarily served as President of the Republic 37 times when the President was traveling. As Minister of Education, she signed agreements for loans with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). These loans helped create Multi-phase Programs for Basic Education and Media. Ortiz Bosch also created and led the Strategic Development Plan of Education for the period 2003–2012. She started the Decentralized Meetings of Education to help with school maintenance. During her time, the first national census of school buildings was also done.

One of her most important contributions was setting up the TRANSPARENCY software. This program allowed people in the Dominican Republic and other countries to see all the financial actions of the Ministry of Education (MINERD) online. This included public payroll, purchases, and other spending.

During the times she served as interim president, she had to make important decisions. For example, she removed the director of National Property, Victor Tió, who was accused of corruption. She also helped resolve a situation where an executive from the Agrarian Institute Dominican was temporarily taken.

After being Vice President from 2000 to 2004, she initially did not support Hipólito Mejía running for reelection. However, she eventually supported her party's candidate in the presidential elections that brought Leonel Fernández back to power.

Images for kids

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  Milagros Ortiz Bosch in 2007

See also

In Spanish: Milagros Ortiz Bosch para niños