View source for Maria Barroso

{{Short description|First Lady of Portugal from 1986 to 1996}}
{{about||the Brazilian librarian, novelist and short story writer|Maria Alice Barroso}}
{{Hatnote|This name uses [[Portuguese name|Portuguese naming customs:]] the first or maternal family name is ''Simões'', the second or paternal [[family name]] is ''Barroso'', and, for married women, the optional marital name is ''Soares''.}}
{{Infobox officeholder 
|honorific-prefix = 
|name             = Maria Barroso
|honorific-suffix = <small>[[Order of Liberty|GCL]]</small>
|image            = Maria Barroso.2013.JPG
|imagesize        = 
|caption          = Barroso in 2013
|office1          = [[First Lady of Portugal]]
|term_label1      = In role
|term_start1      = 9 March 1986
|term_end1        = 9 March 1996
|president1       = [[Mário Soares]]
|predecessor1     = [[Manuela Ramalho Eanes]]
|successor1       = [[Maria José Ritta]]
|office2          = [[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Member of the Assembly of the Republic]]<br />{{small|Elections: [[1976 Portuguese legislative election|1976]], [[1979 Portuguese legislative election|1979]], [[1980 Portuguese legislative election|1980]], [[1983 Portuguese legislative election|1983]]}}<ref>[http://www.parlamento.pt/Paginas/Faleceu-a-antiga-Deputada-Maria-Barroso.aspx Portuguese National Assembly]</ref>
|term_start2      = 3 June 1976
|term_end2        = 13 November 1980
|term_start3      = 31 May 1983
|term_end3        = 4 November 1985
|birth_date       = {{birth date|df=yes|1925|05|02}}
|birth_name       = Maria de Jesus Simões Barroso
|birth_place      = [[Fuseta]], [[First Portuguese Republic]]
|death_date       = {{death date and age|df=yes|2015|07|07|1925|05|02}}
|death_place      = [[São Domingos de Benfica]], [[Portugal]]
|resting_place    = [[Prazeres Cemetery]], Lisbon
|party            = [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|Socialist Party]]
|spouse           = [[Mário Soares]] <small>(1949–2015)</small>
|children         = [[João Soares (politician)|João Barroso Soares]]<br />Isabel Barroso Soares
|alma_mater       = [[University of Lisbon]]
|profession       = [[Teacher]]
|occupation       = [[Politician]]<br />Actress
}}

'''Maria de Jesus Simões Barroso Soares''', <small>[[Order of Liberty|GCL]]</small>  ([[Fuseta]], 2 May 1925 – [[Lisbon]], 7 July 2015) was a [[Portugal|Portuguese]] actress, teacher and political and social activist, having been one of the founders of the [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|Socialist Party]] (PS), in [[Germany]], in 1973.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maria Barroso, a atriz, ativista e companheira de vida de Mário Soares |url=https://www.jn.pt/nacional/maria-barroso-a-atriz-ativista-e-companheira-de-vida-de-mario-soares-4665776.html/ |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=Jornal de Notícias |date=7 July 2015 |language=pt}}</ref> As the wife of the [[List of presidents of Portugal|17th President of Portugal]], [[Mário Soares]], she was the first-lady of the country between 1986 and 1996.

== Family ==

Barroso was the daughter of military Alfredo José Barroso ([[Alvor (Portimão)|Alvor]], 15 April 1887 - [[Campo Grande, Lisbon]], 14 January 1970) and Maria da Encarnação Simões, born in Coimbra, they married in Alvor in 1912. She's the paternal granddaughter of José Barroso de Sousa and his wife Maria de Jesus Barroso and the maternal granddaughter of Manuel dos Santos and his wife Maria da Rainha Santa.

She was the paternal aunt of [[Alfredo Barroso]] and the maternal aunt of [[Mário Barroso]], [[Eduardo Barroso]] and [[Graça Barroso]].

== Biography ==
She came from a big family - she was the fifth of seven siblings - Maria de Jesus Barroso was there for the family's move, from [[Fuseta]] to [[Setúbal]] and, then, from [[Setúbal]] to [[Lisbon]]. Her father, an opposer to the dictatorship, was arrested in the Lisbon Penitentiary and was deported to the [[Azores]], where he was jailed in the [[Angra do Heroísmo]] Fort. After her primary education, that she did in Setúbal and Lisbon, she attended the secondary schools of D. Filipa de Lencastre and Pedro Nunes.

In her adolescence she gained an interest for theater and the art of spoken poetry, what led her to attend the Course of Dramatic Art in the [[Lisbon Theatre and Film School|National Conservatory Theater School]]. She ended her studies in 1943. She was a director and teacher of ''Art of Saying'' in the ''Colégio Moderno'', replacing Manuel Lereno.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dias |first=Patrícia Costa |title=A vida com um sorriso: histórias, experiências, gargalhadas, reflexões de Isabel Wolmar |date=2011 |publisher=Ésquilo |isbn=978-989-8092-97-7 |edition= |location=Lisboa |pages=60}}</ref> Through the actor Assis Pacheco she enters the prestigious [[Theatre|theater]] company Rey Colaço-Robles Monteiro, based in the [[D. Maria II National Theatre]], replacing [[Maria Lalande]]. She debuted in 1944 in ''Aparências'' (Appearances), of [[Jacinto Benavente]], directed by [[Palmira Bastos]], and had prominent interpretation in ''Benilde ou a Virgem Mãe'' (Benilde or the Virgin Mother) of [[José Régio]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Portugal |first=Rádio e Televisão de |date=2015-07-07 |title=Faleceu Maria Barroso, a atriz, ativista e companheira de vida de Mário Soares |url=https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/pais/faleceu-maria-barroso-a-atriz-ativista-e-companheira-de-vida-de-mario-soares_a842577#google_vignette |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=Faleceu Maria Barroso, a atriz, ativista e companheira de vida de Mário Soares |language=pt}}</ref> Circa 1946, after acting in Coimbra ''A Casa da Bernarda Alba'' (The House of Bernarda Alba), of [[Federico García Lorca]], she's prevented from remaining in that company by interference of [[PIDE]].

While being an actress, Barroso continued her studies in the Faculty of Arts, Lisbon, where she would obtain a degree in Historical and Philosophical Sciences, in 1951. It was in college that she met [[Mário Soares]], whom she would marry on 22 February 1949, by proxy (but registered at the 3rd Conservatory of the Civil Register of Lisbon).<ref name="Company1976">{{cite book |last=Wilson |first=H.W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VI8YAAAAIAAJ |title=Current biography yearbook |publisher=H. W. Wilson Co. |year=1976 |page=393 |accessdate=5 April 2011}}</ref> Soares was then jailed for political reasons. With Soares, Barroso had two children, politician [[João Soares (politician)|João Soares]], born 1949, and psychologist Isabel Barroso Soares, born 1951, who manages the [[Colégio Moderno]] in Lisbon.<ref name="prodignitate.pt">[http://www.prodignitate.pt/presidente.htm Biography: Maria de Jesus Simões Barroso Soares]. prodignitate.pt. Curriculum of Maria Barroso, retrieved 7 July 2015</ref>

After being stopped from working in theater, Barroso would also be forbidden by the government to be a teacher. She applied for an internship for admission to teach, not having been accepted in a public school, choosing to do an internship in ''Colégio Moderno'', ran by her father-in-law João Soares. After two years, however, her license to teach in private schools would be revoked by the National Education  Ministry. She would manage the family school and only after the [[Carnation Revolution]] would she, legally, act as its director.

She would return to acting, in ''Antígona'' (1965) in the [[Teatro Villaret]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=06558.096.19453 |url=http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=06558.096.19453#!6 |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=casacomum.org}}</ref> and in cinema, with the emergency of the ''[[Cinema Novo Português]]'', acting in [[Paulo Soares da Rocha]]'s movie, ''Mudar de Vida'' (To Change Life),<ref name=":0" /> debuting in 1966. In the 70s and 80s she acted in [[Manoel de Oliveira]]'s movies (1985 - ''Le Soulier de Satin'', 1979 - ''Amor de Perdição'', 1975 - ''Benilde ou a Virgem Mãe'').

In 1968, Barroso accompanies her husband when he is deported to [[São Tomé and Príncipe|São Tomé]], where she is again prevented from teaching. Later, in the 70s, when the [[Marcelo Caetano|Marcello Caetano]] government allows Soares to exile in [[Paris]], Barroso returns to [[Portugal]], continuing to manage the family school.

In 1969, Barroso ran as a deputy for the CEUD (Electoral Commission of Democratic Unity), led by Mário Soares, and where Catholics and monarchists involved in the democratic opposition to the regime would insert themselves. In 1973, she participated in the III Congress of Democratic Oopposition, in [[Aveiro, Portugal|Aveiro]], being the only women to intervene in the opening session.

She was one of the seven people to vote against the transformation of the Portuguese Socialist  Action, against the official stand of Mário Soares.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Osório |first=Luís |date=2011-06-06 |title=O dia em que Maria Barroso votou contra Mário Soares |url=https://sol.sapo.pt/2011/06/06/o-dia-em-que-maria-barroso-votou-contra-mario-soares/ |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=Jornal SOL |language=pt-PT}}</ref>
[[File:Mário Soares - António Ferreira Gomes Funeral (32146182866).jpg|thumb|Mário Soares and Maria Barroso in Porto's Bishop's funeral, D. [[António Ferreira Gomes]], in 1989]]
After the [[Carnation Revolution]], Barroso was elected as a deputy of the [[Assembly of the Republic (Portugal)|Assembly of the Republic]], successively, for [[Santarém District|Santarém]], [[Porto District|Porto]], and [[Faro (Portuguese district)|Faro]], in the legislatures started in 1976, 1979, 1980 and 1983.

Although not as politically involved as her husband, Maria Barroso was a founding member of the [[Socialist Party (Portugal)|Socialist Party]] in [[Bad Münstereifel]], [[Germany]] in 1973.

In 1986, Soares is elected [[President of Portugal|President of the Republic]] and Barroso takes on the role of First Lady of Portugal (1986- 1996). As the First Lady, her intervention was directed towards the defense of the family sense and fighting against social exclusion and all forms of violence, participating in numerous initiatives in Portugal and other Portuguese speaking countries. In 1990, she created the Mozambique Emergency movement, granting, in the following year, the scripture of the Association for the Study and Prevention of Violence. In 1995, she presided over the opening of the cycle of realizations for the International Year of Fighting against [[racism]], [[xenophobia]], [[antisemitism]] and [[social exclusion]].

After leaving the [[Belém Palace]], in 1997, she became the president of the Portuguese Red Cross, position she held until 2003. She was also a founding partner and president of the Administration Council of ONGD, since 1994 until her death, and also presided over the [[Aristides Sousa Mendes]] Foundation.

She was awarded a ''Honoris Causa'' doctorate by the [[Lesley University]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Graduating Students {{!}} Lesley University |url=https://lesley.edu/students/student-records-registration-schedules/degree-audit-conferral/graduating-students |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=lesley.edu}}</ref> (23 May 1994), by the [[University of Aveiro]] (16 December 1996),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aveiro |first=Universidade de |title=Honoris Causa |url=https://www.ua.pt/pt/honoris-causa |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=Universidade de Aveiro |language=pt}}</ref> by the [[University of Lisbon]] (3 November 1999) and by the ''[[Universidade Lusófona]]'' in 2012. She was an honorary professor of the Society of International Studies of [[Madrid]]. And also received a Grand Cross of the [[Order of Liberty]] on 7 March 1997.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ENTIDADES NACIONAIS AGRACIADAS COM ORDENS PORTUGUESAS - Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas |url=https://www.ordens.presidencia.pt/?idc=153 |access-date=2024-11-02 |website=www.ordens.presidencia.pt}}</ref>

She was a member of the Portuguese National Theater Company and one of the most famous theater and cinema actresses in [[Portugal]]. In April 2000 she read the poetry of [[Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen]] at the [[United Nations]] in [[New York City|New York]] in [[homage (arts)|homage]] to [[Aristides Sousa Mendes]].<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20150708040657/http://www.aristidesdesousamendes.com/zgarderm.htm En hommage à Aristides de Sousa Mendes]}}. aristidesdesousamendes.com. Retrieved 7 July 2015</ref> She was involved in activities aimed at supporting the areas of culture, education and family, childhood, social solidarity, female dimension, health, the integration of the disabled and the prevention of violence.<ref name="prodignitate.pt" />

==Illness and death==
On 25 June 2015, Maria Barroso came under medical care at Lisbon’s Red Cross Hospital after falling at home. She was transported to the hospital by her nephew [[:pt:Eduardo Barroso|Eduardo Barroso]], a well-known hepato-biliary surgeon, walking in by her own foot. An initial CT scan revealed nothing serious; however, her condition worsened during the subsequent hours, and new exams revealed an extensive [[intracranial hemorrhage]]. She entered a deep [[coma]], and Eduardo Barroso classified the situation as "critical" and "most likely irreversible".<ref>[https://www.dn.pt/portugal/maria-barroso-esta-em-coma-profundo-sobrinho-diz-que-estado-e-irreversivel-4646298.html Maria Barroso está em coma profundo. Sobrinho diz que estado é "irreversível"]. dn.pt. Retrieved 3 June 2023</ref> She died in the morning of 7 July 2015.<ref>[http://www.theportugalnews.com/news/former-first-lady-dies/35275 Former First Lady dies]. theportugalnews.com. Retrieved 7 July 2015</ref>

==Honours and awards==
===Honours===
====National honours====
* {{flag|Portugal}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Liberty]]<ref name="Honours">{{cite web|url=http://www.prodignitate.pt/Curriculum_completo.pdf|title=list of Maria's honours|accessdate=2017-04-04|archive-date=2017-02-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222113035/http://www.prodignitate.pt/Curriculum_completo.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> (7 March 1997)
* {{flagicon|Kingdom of Portugal}} [[House of Braganza|Portuguese Royal Family]]: Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the [[Order of Saint Isabel|Royal Order of Saint Isabel]]<ref name="Honours" /> (3 July 2002)

====Foreign honours====
*{{flag|Brazil}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Rio Branco]] (25 July 1989)<ref name="Honours" />
*{{flag|Bulgaria|1971}}: 1st Class of the [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Bulgaria#People's Republic of Bulgaria (16 September 1946 – 10 November 1989)|Order of the Rose]] (26 October 1994)<ref name="Honours" />
*{{flag|Colombia}}: Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (8 January 1991)<ref name="Honours" />
*{{flag|Denmark}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Dannebrog]] (3 August 1992)<ref name="Honours" />
*{{flag|Finland}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of the White Rose of Finland]] (8 March 1991)<ref name="Honours" />
*{{flag|France}}: Grand Cross of the [[National Order of Merit (France)|National Order of Merit]] (7 May 1990)<ref name="Honours" />
*{{flag|Germany}}: Grand Cross 1st Class of the [[Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]] (9 January 1991)<ref name="Honours" />
*{{flag|Greece}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Phoenix (Greece)|Order of the Phoenix]] (17 May 1983)<ref name="Honours" />
*{{flag|Hungary|1957}}: First Class of the [[Order of the Flag of the People's Republic of Hungary]] (25 November 1982)<ref name="Honours" />
*{{flag|Luxembourg}}: Dame Grand Cross of the [[Order of Adolphe of Nassau]] (9 January 1990)<ref name="Honours" />
*{{flag|Morocco}}: Grand Cordon of the [[Order of Ouissam Alaouite]] (20 February 1995)<ref name="Honours" /> 
*{{flag|Spain}}: Dame Grand Cross of the [[Order of Charles III]] (30 March 1988)<ref name="Honours" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015 |title=Images |url=http://cadenaser00.epimg.net/ser/imagenes/2015/07/07/internacional/1436258274_757585_1436258641_noticia_normal.jpg |website=cadenaser00.epimg.net}}</ref>
*{{flag|Sweden}}: Member Grand Cross of the [[Royal Order of the Polar Star]] (28 January 1987)<ref name="Honours" />
*{{flag|Venezuela}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Francisco de Miranda]] (18 November 1987)<ref name="Honours" />
*{{flag|Zaire}}: Grand Collar of the National Order of Zaire (4 December 1989)<ref name="Honours" />

===Awards===
* Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Aveiro
* Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Lisbon
* Doctor Honoris Causa by Lesley College, Boston
* Honorary Professor of the Society of International Studies, Madrid
* Award "Impegno Per La Pace" of the Association Insieme per la Pace, Rome
* Award "Beca" by the Colégio Mayor Zurbaran, Madrid
* Gold Medal for Distinct Service from the League of Portuguese Firemen
* Medal of Solidarity from CNAF
* Recipient of the [[Orders, decorations, and medals of Portugal#Medals|Red Cross Medal]] of Portugal<ref name="Honours" />
* Silver Medal of the Alcuin Award
* Gold Medal from FERLAP
* Gold Medal from the City of Ovar
* Gold Medal from the City of Olhão
* Gold Medal from the City of Faro
* Algarvia (lady from the Algarve region) of the Year 1997 by the Association of the Algarve’s Regional Press
* Personality of the Year 1998 in the area of solidarity by the Magazine Revista Gente e Viagem
* Most Elegant Woman of the Year 1998 – Magazine VIP
* Neckband of the International Academy of Portuguese Culture
* "One in ten women of the year 1999" Prize – Brazil
* D. Antónia Ferreira Prize
* Prestige Prize
* "Manus Cais" Trophy
* "Lonely Life" Prize – Radio Central FM, Leiria

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0057817}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barroso, Maria}}
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:First ladies of Portugal]]
[[Category:Socialist Party (Portugal) politicians]]
[[Category:Portuguese anti-fascists]]
[[Category:Portuguese film actresses]]
[[Category:Portuguese actor-politicians]]
[[Category:People from Olhão]]
[[Category:Spouses of prime ministers of Portugal]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Liberty]]
[[Category:Dames of the Order of Saint Isabel]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ordre national du Mérite]]
[[Category:Grand Cross of the Ordre national du Mérite]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg]]
[[Category:Knights of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the House of Orange]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of the House of Orange]]
[[Category:Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star]]
[[Category:20th-century Portuguese women politicians]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths from falls]] 
[[Category:Accidental deaths in Portugal]]
[[Category:Deaths from intracranial haemorrhage]]