Spanish
Margarita María Cedeño Lizardo or just Margarita Cedeño (born May 1, 1965 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a renowned Dominican lawyer and politician. She served as Vice President of the Dominican Republic from 2012 to 2020, and previously as First Lady during the presidential terms of her then-husband, Leonel Fernández, between 2004 and 2012. An active member of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), she has been a key figure in the implementation of social policies aimed at human development and gender equality.
Academic and Professional Background of Margarita Cedeño
Margarita Cedeño is a Doctor of Law, graduated cum laude in 1987 from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD). In 1995, she obtained a magna cum laude master's degree in Business Law and Economic Legislation at the Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra (PUCMM). Subsequently, in 2010, she pursued a master's degree in Political Science for Development at the University of Salamanca, Spain.
He complemented his education with studies in negotiation, international law, and conflict resolution at prestigious institutions such as Georgetown University, Harvard University, and the University of Geneva. In the professional field, she worked at prominent law firms, including that of Abel Rodríguez del Orbe and Fernández y Asociados, of which she is a founding member. Between 1996 and 2000, she served as legal advisor to the President of the Republic with the rank of Undersecretary of State, and directed the Legal and Investment Climate Management of the Office for the Promotion of Foreign Investment.First Lady of the Dominican Republic (2004–2012)
During her time as First Lady, Margarita Cedeño transformed the Office of the First Lady into an active entity for public policies. She launched the “Progresando” program, focused on poverty reduction through actions in health, education, identity, income generation, and human development. Furthermore, she promoted the creation of the Community Technology Centers (CTC), bringing access to technology and digital training to vulnerable communities.
In the realm of health, he promoted the construction and equipping of pediatric emergency rooms in public hospitals and the remodeling of the Dr. Robert Reid Cabral Children's Hospital. He also inaugurated the first Children's and Youth Library of the Dominican Republic, fostering reading and education in values.
Vice President of the Dominican Republic (2012–2020)
In 2012, Margarita Cedeño was elected vice president alongside Danilo Medina, becoming the first woman from the PLD and the second in the country's history to hold that position. During her tenure, she coordinated the Social Policy Coordination Cabinet, strengthening the program “Progresando con Solidaridad (Prosoli)”, which benefited more than 800,000 families through initiatives in financial education, entrepreneurship, and female empowerment.
She also led programs such as “SuperEntrepreneur Women”, promoting financial inclusion and the economic development of Dominican women.
Recognitions and distinctions
Margarita Cedeño has been recognized nationally and internationally for her social work. In 2009, she was named Extraordinary Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). In addition, she has been designated Global Ambassador of the Special Olympics and Continental Ambassador for the Elimination of Rubella in the Americas.Personal Life
Daughter of Luis Emilio Cedeño Matos and Margarita Lizardo de Cedeño, Margarita married in 2003 to former president Leonel Fernández, from whom she divorced in 2022. She is the mother of three children: Ramón Emil and Gabriela Angelissa Fiorentino, from a previous relationship, and Yolanda América María Fernández Cedeño, the result of her marriage to Fernández.
