Milagros Ortiz Bosch facts for kids

Milagros María Ortiz Bosch, born on August 26, 1936, is a lawyer, business manager, and 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 National District twice (1994–1998 and 1998–2000) and was the Minister of Education during her time as Vice President.

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

Quick facts for kids 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

Growing Up in Difficult Times

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

As a young girl, she often heard her relatives quietly mention her uncle, Juan Bosch. Her uncle was admired by her family. However, he was disliked by Rafael Trujillo, who was the country's dictator at the time.

Milagros's family faced constant problems from the dictatorship. People known as Caliés (snitches) would watch their home. Even local sellers were suspected of being spies for the government. Her uncle Pepito was often questioned and jailed for being against the government.

At Santa Teresita School, where Milagros studied, many teachers were also against the Trujillo regime. The school taught humanist ideas, which meant many teachers knew or were friends with Juan Bosch.

Life was hard for the family during this time. Some neighbors were even bothered for being friends with the Ortiz Bosch family. Milagros's grandparents had to leave the country to find safety. Her mother, Doña Angelita, who was Juan Bosch's sister, was also harassed.

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 treatment. People were careful not to upset "The Boss," as Trujillo was called. Her parents had warned her that their family was seen as not supporting the government.

The End of the Dictatorship

On May 30, 1961, the dictator was killed. This event surprised Milagros and her family. Young people and university groups had been rebelling. Milagros's mother, Doña Angelita, had been recovering from a stroke. She had suffered it after hearing about the death of the Mirabal Sisters, who were friends of the Bosch family.

The family celebrated Trujillo's death, but they had to be careful. The government's security groups were still angry. Many people hid, but Milagros kept fighting against the dictatorship. On July 5, 36 days after Trujillo's death, members of the Dominican Revolutionary Party arrived. This was her Uncle Juan's party.

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

Meeting Her Uncle Juan

In early 1962, Milagros traveled to San Isidro de Coronado in Costa Rica. She was very excited to attend a political training course. More than 70 Dominicans and three Ecuadorians were there, including Rodrigo Borja Cevallos, who later became president of Ecuador. Milagros was especially excited because her Uncle Juan was a professor for the course. He had organized it and was planning his return to the Dominican Republic as the leader of the PRD.

When she entered the classroom, Milagros was impressed by her uncle. He was 52 years old, with white hair, and a very striking appearance. He was at the main table with other important people, including José Francisco Peña Gómez.

Milagros's dream came true. Her uncle Juan hugged her. His sister Angelita's daughter was now a smart, beautiful, and educated woman. She was also a big fan of his political work.

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

Her Own Political Path

After that meeting in Costa Rica, Milagros became very important in Juan Bosch's political life. She worked as his personal assistant and stayed by his side. When Juan Bosch left the PRD, Milagros was in New York. She returned to the country and helped form his new party, the PLD. Juan Bosch put her in charge of the education department and then the organization tasks.

After five years, Milagros started to feel that she was losing her own political identity. Her life seemed to revolve only around her uncle. Family ties started to feel stronger than political ones.

Milagros realized she needed her own space. This became clear after the 1978 elections. She disagreed with some of Juan Bosch's ideas. After some months, she decided to leave the PLD and step away from her uncle politically. This was a difficult decision. Milagros told her closest relatives about her choice.

She then began her own political career in her old party, the PRD. She started slowly, like learning to walk, and then she ran very far. She has always spoken respectfully of her beloved uncle Juan, both when he was alive and after his death. For her, his memory is very important.

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 group helped create the current Supreme Court and shaped the rest of the country's justice system.

As a Senator, Milagros also supported important new laws. These included the Judicial Reform Act, the Education Reform Act, and the Women Protection Act, among many others. These laws helped improve the country's institutions.

Vice President and Minister of Education

Milagros Ortiz Bosch was the Vice President of the Dominican Republic for four years. She was chosen by many citizens. At the same time, she also led the Ministry of Education. She left a strong mark with her transparent way of managing things.

During her four years (2000–2004) as Vice President, she also served as Minister 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 away.

As Minister of Education, she signed agreements with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). These agreements helped create programs for basic and middle school education. Ortiz Bosch also created and led the Strategic Development Plan of Education for 2003–2012. She started Decentralized Meetings of Education to help with school maintenance. During her time, the first national census of school buildings was done.

One of her biggest contributions was creating the TRANSPARENCY software. This allowed people to see all financial actions of the Ministry of Education online. This included public payroll, purchases, and other spending.

When she was acting President, she made important decisions. For example, she removed the director of National Property, Victor Tió, who was accused of corruption. She also helped resolve issues at the Agrarian Institute Dominican.

After her term as Vice President (2000–2004), she initially did not support Hipólito Mejía running for reelection. However, she eventually supported her party's candidate in the presidential elections. These elections led to Leonel Fernández returning to power.

See also

In Spanish: Milagros Ortiz Bosch para niños