34 Facts About Alba Roballo

Alba Roballo was an Uruguayan lawyer, poet, and politician, who served three consecutive terms from 1958 to 1971 in the Senate of Uruguay and a fourth term in the early 1990s.

Alba Roballo was a founder of the Frente Amplio in 1971 and though she ran for re-election, that year she was defeated.

Alba Roballo continued to serve on the directorate of the Frente Amplio, introducing legislation projects for social improvement through 1993, when she briefly served in the Senate again.

Alba Roballo died in 1996, but has been remembered by many memorials throughout the country including stamps issued in her likeness, streets and colonies named after her, as well as plazas and cultural centers.

Alba Rosa Roballo Beron was born on 4 August 1908 in Isla Cabellos, Artigas Department, Uruguay, to Rosa Beron and Americo Roballo.

From birth, Alba Roballo accompanied her mother to her work in the school, as did her seven siblings.

Alba Roballo completed her secondary schooling at the Liceo No 1 in Artigas and then furthered her education at the University of the Republic.

Alba Roballo studied teaching, earned a degree in philosophy, and began her career teaching at the school her mother operated on Dr Pablo de Maria Street in Montevideo.

Alba Roballo joined the Federacion de Estudiantes de la Universidad de Derecho and was active in anti-fascist demonstrations in support of the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War.

When in 1933, Gabriel Terra orchestrated a coup d'etat, Alba Roballo participated in the occupation of the university in protest against the dictator.

Alba Roballo joined the Colorado Party, led by Julio Cesar Grauert and Baltasar Brum.

When Brum committed suicide over the coup, Alba Roballo delivered a funeral oration defending democracy to the large crowd which had gathered.

Alba Roballo founded the magazine Mujer Batllista in the early 1940s, which she used to put forward her political ideas.

Alba Roballo published her first book of poems, Se levanta el sol, in 1942, which was honored by the Ministry of Public Instruction with first prize in the literary competition that year.

Alba Roballo's written works, which were both prose and poetry, reflected her vigorous and rebellious spirit.

The themes in Alba Roballo's written works echoed her public commitment to provide empathy, comfort, and motivation, but exposed the struggle and anguish that accompany sensitivity to the social environment and the challenges of life.

Alba Roballo's works were introduced abroad by Pablo Neruda, the Chilean poet and diplomat; Alfonso Reyes, the Mexican writer and philosopher; and Cesar Tiempo, an Argentine screenwriter.

Alba Roballo founded the weekly journal, El Pregon, which became the mouthpiece for her political movement of the same name.

Alba Roballo became chair of the Cajas de Asignaciones Familiares, Vicente in 1947.

In 1954, Alba Roballo ran for a seat in the Chamber of Deputies, but when she was defeated by only a small margin, President Luis Batlle appointed her to chair the Caja Rural, which oversaw the distribution of pensions in the countryside.

Alba Roballo was dedicated to helping the most deprived and marginalized people in the country and often could be found at the Municipal Palace helping the cleaning staff after hours.

Alba Roballo was responsible for pushing for importation of the polio vaccine, which was successful in eradicating the disease in the capital.

Alba Roballo served on the Municipal Council until 1959, and was known for introducing a plan to officially recognize the Desfile de llamadas at the opening of Carnival, establishing funeral services for the city's poor, and organizing the directorate of social services.

Alba Roballo organized many public works projects including paving roads, building tunnels and creating the first master plan for the development of the city.

Alba Roballo was elected Senator in 1958, as the only woman serving at that time in the General Assembly.

Alba Roballo worked on legislation to recognize unmarried partnerships, and measures to provide equal opportunities and limit exploitation of workers.

In 1968, Alba Roballo was selected by President Jorge Pacheco as the Minister of Education and Culture.

Alba Roballo closed down parts of the press, censoring content for newspapers.

Alba Roballo instituted emergency rules to arrest the leaders of trade unions and suppressed left-wing political groups, prohibiting public gatherings and expanding the authority of the police to intervene.

That day, Alba Roballo decided to leave the Colorado Party and form her own political group, the Movimiento Pregon.

Alba Roballo claimed that she had to leave the party to save Batllism, bringing its tenets to the Frente Amplio.

Alba Roballo's home was raided several times during the 12-year dictatorship.

Alba Roballo was able to continue her influence as part of the board of directors of the Frente Amplio through the early 1990s.

Alba Roballo returned to the Senate in 1993, serving for one last year.