Beatriz Isabel Areizaga (born January 4, 1985), aka Beatriz Rosselló,[1] is the wife of Ricardo Rosselló, the former Governor of Puerto Rico.
Beatriz Isabel Rosselló | |
|---|---|
| 14th First Lady of Puerto Rico | |
| In role January 2, 2017 – August 2, 2019 | |
| Governor | Ricardo Rosselló |
| Preceded by | Wilma Pastrana |
| Succeeded by | Jorge Díaz Reverón |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Beatriz Isabel Areizaga January 4, 1985 San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Political party | New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Interamerican University of Puerto Rico (BA) |
Personal life
Rosselló was born Beatriz Isabel Areizaga García[2] in San Juan, Puerto Rico on January 4, 1985. She married Ricardo Rosselló on October 14, 2012, in a ceremony in New Orleans, Louisiana.[3] The couple have two children: Claudia Beatriz and Pedro Javier.
Early life and education
Rosselló studied at the Julián Blanco School, which specializes in ballet.[4] She attended college at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.
She completed her bachelor's degree in psychology at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, where she graduated magna cum laude. Rosselló also pursued post-graduate studies at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University in North Carolina.[5]
Early career
Rosselló was the chapter president of the Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association at the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico and vice president of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico's youth group in San Juan.[6]
Tenure as first lady
Rosselló was involved in initiatives such as “Fortaleza Para Ti”, Back To School, Women's Council, and Spayathon for Puerto Rico. As a First Lady she ordered the commissioning of a monument to diversity called "Portico de la Igualdad" in June 2019, which was subsequently painted white during the Telegramgate protests.[7][8][9][10][11]
Unidos por Puerto Rico
Beatriz initiated Unidos for Puerto Rico as an effort to get much-needed aid to the Island after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Her role was as a spokesperson, not as an administrator. Unidos for Puerto Rico was managed by a board of local entrepreneurs. In July 2019, amid calls for her husband to resign due to a scandal stemming from his involvement in an incriminating group chat with other government officials, some criticized her management of the trailers. Rosselló was accused of delaying the distribution of disaster relief supplies. In August 2018, at least 10 trailers that held these disaster relief supplies were found abandoned in a lot near a state election office; according to The New York Times, United for Puerto Rico said "it had no knowledge of the containers and had nothing to do with them".[12]