Delia Parodi
Encyclopedia
Delia Parodi was an Argentine
politician and the first Argentine woman to hold a prominent elected post.
Delia Delfina Degliuomini was born to Italian Argentine
parents in Ingeniero Luiggi, a small La Pampa Province
town, in 1913. Her family relocated to Buenos Aires
in 1917 and lived in modest circumstances. She was able to attain secondary education, however, and shortly afterwards met Juan Carlos Parodi.
The couple operated a small business and in 1944, Delia Parodi was hired as a stenographer in the Department of Labor by its new appointee, Colonel Juan Perón
. Parodi assisted Perón in his fundraising efforts dealing with the devastating 1944 San Juan earthquake
, and became close to Eva Duarte (who would soon be Perón's fiancée and most influential adviser). Following Perón's election
to the Presidency in 1946, Parodi was transferred to the Province of San Luis, where she participated as an enumerator during the 1947 Census. The experience earned her a promotion as a local ombudsman in the Las Cañitas section of Palermo
(today an upscale ward in Buenos Aires).
The enactment of female suffrage in Argentina in 1949 and Parodi's neighborhood work earned her a seat in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
in 1951 as one of the first 22 women in Congress. The first woman to make a formal speech in the Argentine Congress, she was active in intellectual property
and consumer rights. Following the First Lady's death in 1952, she was elected titular head of the Peronist Women's Party
, and represented her country in the Inter-Parliamentary Union. On April 25, 1953, she was unanimously elected First Vice President of the Chamber, becoming the first Argentine Woman to hold an elected leadership position in any branch (to date, she remains the highest-ranking woman in Argentine Congressional history).
Parodi was imprisoned on Perón's September 19, 1955, overthrow, and she remained in custody until March 1958, shortly after a new election. Pardoned by the newly-elected President Arturo Frondizi
(who had won with Perón's endorsement), Parodi remained in exile in neighboring Uruguay
and separated from her husband; she returned to Argentina in secret to attend her husband's funeral (from which she was forced to flee after police recognized her).
Parodi relocated to Madrid
, where Perón had lived since 1961. Undeterred, she helped organize the aging leader's planned return to Argentina in December 1964. Posing as "Delia and Juan Sosa" and sporting Paraguay
an passports, she and Perón were intercepted in Rio de Janeiro
by Brazil
ian Intelligence.
The fiasco resulted in an Interpol
arrest order against her and her detention in Paris
. She remained in contact with Perón, however, and joined his entourage on the leader's June 20, 1973, return to Argentina. Perón died in office a year later, and Parodi's own, worsening health (as well as a violent dictatorship
) kept her in a low profile in subsequent years. Following a return to democracy in 1983, she took part in numerous interviews and seminars, and published an autobiography.
Parodi died in Buenos Aires on May 13, 1991, at age 78. Her casket was displayed in Congress' Hall of Lost Steps, and the main press conference room of the Chamber of Deputies was named in her honor in 2003.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
politician and the first Argentine woman to hold a prominent elected post.
Delia Delfina Degliuomini was born to Italian Argentine
Italian Argentine
An Italian Argentine is a person born in Argentina of Italian ancestry. It is estimated up to 25 million Argentines have some degree of Italian descent...
parents in Ingeniero Luiggi, a small La Pampa Province
La Pampa Province
La Pampa is a sparsely populated province of Argentina, located in the Pampas in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise San Luis, Córdoba, Buenos Aires, Río Negro, Neuquén and Mendoza.-History:...
town, in 1913. Her family relocated to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in 1917 and lived in modest circumstances. She was able to attain secondary education, however, and shortly afterwards met Juan Carlos Parodi.
The couple operated a small business and in 1944, Delia Parodi was hired as a stenographer in the Department of Labor by its new appointee, Colonel Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
. Parodi assisted Perón in his fundraising efforts dealing with the devastating 1944 San Juan earthquake
1944 San Juan earthquake
The 1944 San Juan earthquake took place in the province of San Juan, in the center-west area of Argentina, a region highly prone to seismic events. This moderate to strong earthquake destroyed a large part of San Juan, the provincial capital, and killed 10,000 of its inhabitants, 10% of its...
, and became close to Eva Duarte (who would soon be Perón's fiancée and most influential adviser). Following Perón's election
Argentine general election, 1946
The Argentine general election of 1946, the last for which only men were enfranchised, was held on 24 February. Voters chose both the President and their legislators and with a turnout of 83.4%, it produced the following results:-President:aAbstentions....
to the Presidency in 1946, Parodi was transferred to the Province of San Luis, where she participated as an enumerator during the 1947 Census. The experience earned her a promotion as a local ombudsman in the Las Cañitas section of Palermo
Palermo, Buenos Aires
Palermo is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It is located in the northeast of the city, bordering the barrios of Belgrano to the north, Almagro and Recoleta to the south, Villa Crespo and Colegiales to the west and the Río de la Plata river to the east. With a total...
(today an upscale ward in Buenos Aires).
The enactment of female suffrage in Argentina in 1949 and Parodi's neighborhood work earned her a seat in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies
Argentine Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
in 1951 as one of the first 22 women in Congress. The first woman to make a formal speech in the Argentine Congress, she was active in intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
and consumer rights. Following the First Lady's death in 1952, she was elected titular head of the Peronist Women's Party
Female Peronist Party
The Female Peronist Party, also known as the Feminist Peronist Party and the Peronist Feminist Party, was the women's wing of the Peronist Justicialist Party of Argentina. It was founded by Eva Peron in the late 1940s. After the Peronist Feminist Party was founded, twice the amount of women were...
, and represented her country in the Inter-Parliamentary Union. On April 25, 1953, she was unanimously elected First Vice President of the Chamber, becoming the first Argentine Woman to hold an elected leadership position in any branch (to date, she remains the highest-ranking woman in Argentine Congressional history).
Parodi was imprisoned on Perón's September 19, 1955, overthrow, and she remained in custody until March 1958, shortly after a new election. Pardoned by the newly-elected President Arturo Frondizi
Arturo Frondizi
Arturo Frondizi Ercoli was the President of Argentina between May 1, 1958, and March 29, 1962, for the Intransigent Radical Civic Union.-Early life:Frondizi was born in Paso de los Libres, Corrientes Province...
(who had won with Perón's endorsement), Parodi remained in exile in neighboring Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
and separated from her husband; she returned to Argentina in secret to attend her husband's funeral (from which she was forced to flee after police recognized her).
Parodi relocated to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, where Perón had lived since 1961. Undeterred, she helped organize the aging leader's planned return to Argentina in December 1964. Posing as "Delia and Juan Sosa" and sporting Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
an passports, she and Perón were intercepted in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
by Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian Intelligence.
The fiasco resulted in an Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
arrest order against her and her detention in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. She remained in contact with Perón, however, and joined his entourage on the leader's June 20, 1973, return to Argentina. Perón died in office a year later, and Parodi's own, worsening health (as well as a violent dictatorship
National Reorganization Process
The National Reorganization Process was the name used by its leaders for the military government that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983. In Argentina it is often known simply as la última junta militar or la última dictadura , because several of them existed throughout its history.The Argentine...
) kept her in a low profile in subsequent years. Following a return to democracy in 1983, she took part in numerous interviews and seminars, and published an autobiography.
Parodi died in Buenos Aires on May 13, 1991, at age 78. Her casket was displayed in Congress' Hall of Lost Steps, and the main press conference room of the Chamber of Deputies was named in her honor in 2003.