Senator Gerardo Fernández Noroña was moved to tears during his speech in the Senate chamber, paying tribute to his grandmother, María de la Luz Velázquez Villalobos, in the context of the early commemoration of International Women's Day on March 8. Visibly emotional, the legislator recounted the life story of his grandmother, who was born in 1930 in conditions of extreme poverty and inequality.
He recalled that, despite being indigenous, orphaned, and having limited resources, his grandmother managed to complete her primary education, but the social norms of the time led her to marry very young, following the common fate of many women of her generation. The senator, his voice breaking, mentioned: “The marriage turned out to be another test of her strength, as her husband was very 'alcaldenorado', macho, and abusive.”
In an era when divorce was frowned upon, María de la Luz made the brave decision to separate and raise her three children alone, whom she supported with her work as a seamstress. Fernández Noroña emphasized that his grandmother not only raised her children but also five grandchildren, two of whom were able to go to university, opening new opportunities for the family.
“Long live the memory of María de la Luz Velázquez Villalobos,” exclaimed Fernández Noroña before becoming speechless and visibly tearful. His fellow senators gave him a round of applause, accompanying the emotional moment, while senators Lucía Trasviña, Verónica Camino, and Imelda Castro approached to show their support in this significant tribute to his grandmother.
