Martha Luz Hildebrandt Pérez-Treviño (13 January 1925 – 8 December 2022) was a Peruvian linguist and
Fujimorist
Fujimorism () denotes the policies and the political ideology of former President of Peru Alberto Fujimori as well as the personality cult built around him, his policies and his family. The ideology is defined by authoritarianism, its support for ...
politician. She was first elected to
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...
in 1995 and, in 1999, she became the second woman to serve as
President of the Congress of the Republic of Peru
President of the Congress of the Republic of Peru is the presiding officer in the Congress of the Republic of Peru.
This is a list of representatives that have served as Presidents of the Peruvian legislature. The Constitution of 1993 re-arrang ...
(following
Martha Chávez
Martha Gladys Chávez Cossío de Ocampo (born 12 January 1953) is a Peruvian Fujimorist politician and lawyer. A historical and a prominent figure of Fujimorism, she has served in Congress for six-non consecutive terms from 1995 to 2006 and from ...
's term in 1995–1996).
Education
In 1942, Hildebrandt studied education and literature simultaneously at the
National University of San Marcos
The National University of San Marcos ( es, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, link=no, UNMSM) is a public research university located in Lima, the capital of Peru. It is considered the most important, recognized and representative educ ...
. In 1952, she studied Structural Linguistics at
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Charte ...
in
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, United States, and subsequently Descriptive Linguistics at the
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...
, also in the United States.
Career
From 1947 to 1953, Hildebrandt worked at the National University of San Marcos as a teacher. Then she traveled to
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
, where she worked in linguistics at the Department of Justice of Venezuela. In 1962, she returned to the National University of San Marcos as a professor and remained there until 1973. From 1972 until 1976, she was also the General Director of the
National Institute of Culture
The 'National Institute of Culture of Peru (INC) is a government organization under the authority of the Ministry of Education. Its headquarters are located in the city of Lima and its rector is Cecilia Bákula.
Objectives
The institute's objectiv ...
.
Linguistics
From 1974 to 1978, she held important positions in the
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States (OAS; es, Organización de los Estados Americanos, pt, Organização dos Estados Americanos, french: Organisation des États américains; ''OEA'') is an international organization that was founded on 30 April ...
(OAS) and in
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
, in the area of linguistics.
Political career
Martha Hildebrandt was a local linguist who was well known to the broad Peruvian public, though she spoke neither
Quechua
Quechua may refer to:
*Quechua people, several indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru
*Quechuan languages, a Native South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language
**So ...
nor
Aymara
Aymara may refer to:
Languages and people
* Aymaran languages, the second most widespread Andean language
** Aymara language, the main language within that family
** Central Aymara, the other surviving branch of the Aymara(n) family, which today ...
. She was the Perpetual Secretary of the
Academia Peruana de la Lengua from 1993 to 2005. Her numerous books on subjects related to the
Spanish Language
Spanish ( or , Castilian) is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from colloquial Latin spoken on the Iberian peninsula. Today, it is a world language, global language with more than 500 millio ...
are extensively quoted.
Hildebrandt's political life began in 1994 with her professional relationship with
Alberto Fujimori
Alberto Kenya Fujimori Inomoto ( or ; born 28 July 1938) is a Peruvian politician, professor and former engineer who was President of Peru from 28 July 1990 until 22 November 2000. Frequently described as a dictator,
*
*
*
*
*
*
he remains a ...
. In the general elections of 1995, she was chosen by
Cambio 90
Cambio 90 (lit. ''Change 90'', C90) was a Peruvian right-wing political party which entered the political spectrum in early 1990, and throughout the 1990s until late-2000 was the most powerful political party in Peru alongside New Majority, ser ...
-
Nueva Mayoría
The ''Nueva Mayoría'', also dubbed in English as New Majority, was a Chilean Centre-left politics, centre-left electoral coalition from 2013 to 2018, composed mainly of centre-left political parties supporting the presidential candidacy of Mi ...
to run for Congress and won a seat in the legislature. When the
general elections of 2000 approached and Alberto Fujimori sought re-election, she defended the controversial project, along with
Martha Chávez
Martha Gladys Chávez Cossío de Ocampo (born 12 January 1953) is a Peruvian Fujimorist politician and lawyer. A historical and a prominent figure of Fujimorism, she has served in Congress for six-non consecutive terms from 1995 to 2006 and from ...
,
Luz Salgado
Luz Filomena Salgado Rubianes de Paredes (born 3 July 1949) is a Peruvian Fujimorist politician and journalist who served as President of the Congress thrice, from 2016 to 2017 as a full-term and twice briefly in 2000 in an acting capacity.
Educ ...
and
Carmen Lozada.
In 1999, she was chosen as
President of Congress, and in 2000 she was reaffirmed in the position. When the regime of Alberto Fujimori began to collapse, Hildebrandt was removed from the position to "avoid to be closely tied to the regime" after holding the post for 48 hours only.
She was replaced by First Vice-president
Luz Salgado
Luz Filomena Salgado Rubianes de Paredes (born 3 July 1949) is a Peruvian Fujimorist politician and journalist who served as President of the Congress thrice, from 2016 to 2017 as a full-term and twice briefly in 2000 in an acting capacity.
Educ ...
, and then – after two disputed elections between government supporters and opposition –
Valentín Paniagua Corazao (
Accion Popular) was chosen temporarily as the new President of Congress and therefore became the Transitional President of the Republic after Fujimori's resignation.
In the general election of 2001, she was not elected;
Luz Salgado
Luz Filomena Salgado Rubianes de Paredes (born 3 July 1949) is a Peruvian Fujimorist politician and journalist who served as President of the Congress thrice, from 2016 to 2017 as a full-term and twice briefly in 2000 in an acting capacity.
Educ ...
was her replacement in the Congress of the Republic as Salgado was suspended from Congress. Already in the general election of 2006, advanced with the number 2 to the Congress and was chosen in the third voting inside
Alianza para el Futuro, a coalition of
Fujimorists
Fujimorism () denotes the policies and the political ideology of former President of Peru Alberto Fujimori as well as the personality cult built around him, his policies and his family. The ideology is defined by authoritarianism, its support for ...
and she was elected. In the
2011 general election, she lost her seat when she ran for re-election under the
Fuerza 2011 party, marking the end of her political career.
In August 2006, Hildebrandt criticized two congresswomen from
Cusco
Cusco, often spelled Cuzco (; qu, Qusqu ()), is a city in Southeastern Peru near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region and of the Cusco Province. The city is the list of cities in Peru, seventh m ...
,
Hilaria Supa
Hilaria Supa Huamán (born 28 December 1957) is a Peruvian politician, human rights activist, and an active member of several Indigenous women's organizations in Peru and around the world. She was a Congresswoman representing Cusco from 2006-20 ...
and
María Sumire
María Cleofé Sumire de Conde (born in an indigenous community in Canchis Province, Cusco Region) is a Peruvian politician. She belongs to the Union for Peru party and was a Congresswoman representing Cusco for the period 2006-2011 and was a can ...
, for being sworn in before Congress in their native language
Quechua
Quechua may refer to:
*Quechua people, several indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru
*Quechuan languages, a Native South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language
**So ...
on 25 July 2006. Hildebrandt demanded Spanish should be used as the only language in Congress. The Congress, however, decided translations from Quechua and other indigenous languages should be taken into account for all sessions.
Se traducirá el quechua en el hemiciclo. El Comercio, 5 de agosto de 2006
Death
Hildebrandt died at her home in Miraflores on 8 December 2022, at the age of 97.
Publications
* ''Wayúunaikṫ : Cartilla guajira'', 1958
* ''Sistema fonemico del macoita'', 1958
* ''La lengua de Bolívar'', 1961
* ''Diccionario guajiro-español'', 1963
* ''Peruanismos'', 1965
* ''El habla culta, o, Lo que debiera serlo'', 2000
* ''Léxico de Bolívar : el español de América en el siglo XIX', 2001
References
External links
Official Congressional Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hildebrandt, Martha
1925 births
2022 deaths
Linguists from Peru
Women linguists
Fujimorista politicians
Peruvian people of German descent
Presidents of the Congress of the Republic of Peru
National University of San Marcos alumni
20th-century linguists
20th-century Peruvian women politicians
20th-century Peruvian politicians
21st-century Peruvian women politicians
21st-century Peruvian politicians
Members of the Congress of the Republic of Peru
Women members of the Congress of the Republic of Peru
People from La Libertad Region