 |
Nila HerediaBolivian medic, leftist activist
Date of Birth: 21.09.1943
Country:  Bolivia |
Content:
- María de los Ángeles Heredia
- Professional Medical and Educational Career
- Political Career and Ministerial Work
- Human Rights Advocacy
María de los Ángeles Heredia
Early Life and ActivismMaría de los Ángeles Heredia is a Bolivian physician, left-wing activist, and politician. During her youth, she participated in Trotskyist and Guevarist leftist movements, facing imprisonment and torture under military dictatorships. Her husband, Luis Stamponi, disappeared under the regime of Hugo Banzer and was handed over to Argentina's authoritarian government.
Heredia was coordinator of the Bolivian Human Rights Committee from 1980 to 1984 and secretary for coordination with departments of the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights in the La Paz department from 1978 to 1982.
Professional Medical and Educational Career
After Bolivia's transition to democratic rule in 1982, Heredia returned to the country and resumed her academic career. She taught at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, became dean of its medical faculty from 1985 to 1988, and vice-chancellor from 1988 to 1991, serving as interim rector for a few months. She also held various other positions in universities and medical organizations.
Political Career and Ministerial Work
Heredia entered government after the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) party came to power, following technical roles in the Department of Health. From January 2006 to January 2008, she served as Minister of Health and Sports in Evo Morales' government. In 2010, she returned to the Ministry of Health, first as Deputy Minister of Health and Promotion and later as Minister.
In September 2015, Heredia was appointed executive director of the Andean Regional Health Organization (ORAS-CONHU), a position she held from January 2016. She has also served as general coordinator of the Latin American Association of Social Medicine (ALAMES) and member of the Executive Committee of the Pan American Health Organization.
Human Rights Advocacy
Heredia was president of the Association of Relatives of Detained, Disappeared, and Martyrs for National Liberation of Bolivia (ASOFAMD) from 2001 to April 2005. She also presided over the Latin American Federation of Associations of Relatives of Detained and Disappeared Persons from 2003 to November 2005. Since its creation in August 2017, she has served as president of Bolivia's Truth Commission, tasked with investigating crimes committed during the military dictatorships of the 1970s and 1980s.
