| First Lady of Mexico | |
|---|---|
Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller since 1 December 2018 | |
| Residence | National Palace of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico |
| Term length | 6 years |
| Inaugural holder | María Antonia Bretón |
| Formation | 1917 |
| Website | Gob.MX |
The first ladyorfirst gentleman of Mexico is the informal title held by the spouse of the president of Mexico, concurrent with the president's term of office. [1] The position has no legal foundation and was originally started as a courtesy title. However, several holders of the title have taken on ceremonial roles during the presidential tenure of their spouses and have used the position to advocate for various causes.
Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller is the current first lady as the wife of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The first lady or first gentleman is not an elected position, carries no official duties and brings no salary. Nonetheless, the title holder attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with or in place of the president. There is a strict taboo against the president's spouse holding outside employment during the president's sexenio. Traditionally, the first lady took an important (ceremonial) post as head of the Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF) ("Integral Family Development"). However, this did not occur during the Fox administration when First Lady Marta Sahagún founded the national philanthropic organization Vamos México.
Two first ladies have been active politicians: Martha Sahagún, who married Vicente Fox during his tenure (2001–2006), had been a party activist and candidate for mayor of Celaya on the PAN party ticket, and was briefly considered a contender for PAN's nomination to run for either the Jefe de Gobierno (Governor of the Federal District) or president in the 2006 election. Margarita Zavala, wife of Felipe Calderón, was a deputy from 2003 to 2006. In the 2018 Mexican general election, she was a pre-candidate for the nomination of PAN, and then she briefly ran as an independent.[3]
Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller (2018 to 2024), wife of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, abstained from using the title of first lady. She stated it was a "role with no concrete functions or responsibilities." She also said she wanted to "serve Mexico any way she can", and that the title "first lady" is "somewhat classist".[4] Gutiérrez Müller also refused the position as head of the National DIF.[5]
Post-revolutionary era
As of 12 July 2024, there are five living former first ladies, as identified below.
The most recent first lady to die was Paloma Cordero, widow of Miguel de la Madrid on May 11, 2020.
