12 Facts About Mercedes Cabanillas

Mercedes Cabanillas Bustamante was born on May 22,1947 and is a Peruvian educator and politician.

Mercedes Cabanillas would go on to be elected as the third woman to be President of Congress in 2006.

Mercedes Cabanillas retired from politics after she was defeated in her congressional reelection bid in the 2011 general election.

Mercedes Cabanillas's parents were Armando Cabanillas Olaechea and Emma Bustamante, both members of the Peruvian Aprista Party.

Mercedes Cabanillas entered the Party in 1961, exercising various offices such as member of the National Command of the Youth Wing Juventud Aprista Peruana, National Secretary of Women Affairs, and in 1982, the Women Political Action Committee.

Mercedes Cabanillas majored in Education and Human Science at the Federico Villarreal National University, earning a Bachelor's degree.

Mercedes Cabanillas entered the Government when President Alan Garcia appointed her Minister of Education in 1987, after the resignation of the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Luis Alva Castro.

Mercedes Cabanillas resigned from office in August 1988 to run for the 1989 Lima mayorship elections, placing fourth.

Mercedes Cabanillas's running mates were former senator Jorge Lozada Stanbury and Alejandro Santa Maria Silva.

Mercedes Cabanillas served in Congress until her term expired in 2011, as she failed to win a fourth consecutive election, receiving a minority of votes, prompting her to retire from politics.

Mercedes Cabanillas remains a very influential leader in the Peruvian Aprista Party, serving as Chair of the party's Electoral Tribunal since 2017.

Mercedes Cabanillas was reelected to the same position in 2019.