María Meléndez
| María Meléndez Altieri | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 135th Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico | |
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Assumed office 12 January 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Francisco Zayas Seijo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1950 (age 66–67) Bayamón, Puerto Rico |
| Nationality | Puerto Rican |
| Political party | New Progressive Party (PNP) |
| Spouse(s) | Rafael Arturo Mateu Cintrón (former) |
| Children | 2 |
| Profession | Politician, Dentist |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Website | Municipality of Ponce (Spanish) |
María Eloisa Meléndez Altieri (born 1950), also known as Mayita, is the current mayor of the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. She was elected during the Puerto Rican general elections of 2008, becoming the first woman elected to the office in Ponce's political history. She is also the first mayor of a party other than the Popular Democratic Party in Ponce since 1989, when Rafael Cordero Santiago became mayor. This is Mayita's second candidacy in politics on the island and her first electoral win. In the Puerto Rico's 2004 general election, Mayita presented her candidacy for a senatorial seat representing Puerto Rico's 5th district, but lost in her bid for the position.
Melendez Altieri was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. She was the daughter of Eloísa Altieri Brau y José Luis Meléndez Mena. Meléndez studied secondary education in the city of Bayamón. She obtained her High School diploma at Colegio Santa Rosa in 1969 with high honors. Continued Studies in the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus. Achieved a Bachelor of Science degree in 1973. After graduating with a degree in dental medicine from the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine, she worked as a dental assistant until she established her own dental practice in Ponce.
Under her administration, construction of the $4.5 million Parque Ecológico Urbano (English: Urban Ecological Park) was started and completed. She called the construction of the park one of the five "signature" projects of her administration.
Another signature project of her administration was the Sistema Integrado de Transportación del Sur (SITRAS) (English: Southern Integrated Transportation System).
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Wikipedia