Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, the first female president of Nicaragua, died early Saturday morning in Costa Rica at the age of 95, her family announced in a statement, News.Az reports citing Reuters.
Chamorro, an unlikely leader whose rise to power was fueled by her husband’s murder, served as president from 1990-1997.
She championed regional development and peace after years of a violent civil war, but her presidency was hampered by runaway inflation and economic hardship.
After suffering a stroke in 2018, Chamorro left public life due to a tumor and subsequent ailments. In October 2023, under constant medical care, she moved to Costa Rica, where two of her exiled children reside: Cristiana and Carlos Fernando Chamorro Barrios. A son, Pedro Joaquín, and daughter, Claudia Lucia live in the U.S.
"Doña Violeta passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love and affection of her children and the people who provided her with extraordinary care," her four children said in a statement.
The former president will be temporarily buried in the Costa Rican capital "until Nicaragua once again becomes a republic, and her patriotic legacy can be honored in a free and democratic country," her children said.
