WikiPeru • The Encyclopedia of Peru
The AIgorythm project
Playwright and actor
Novelist
Writer and poet
Volleyball player
Italian-Peruvian naturalist and geographer
Singer and percussionist
Last Inca emperor
Politician, former prime Minister
Journalist and TV host
Poet
Inca warrior
Actor and comedian
Biophysicist
Poet
Doctor and researcher
Businessman, Interbank group
Journalist and writer
Poet and writer
Singer and songwriter
Writer
Film director, Berlin Golden Bear winner
Football player
Writer and journalist
Doctor and scientist
Photograph
Chess player
Industrialist
Former general
Specialist in public health
Actress and singer
Afro-Peruvian music singer
Mathematician and engineer
Indigenous chronicler
Neurologist and anthropologist
Painter
Football player
National hero, military leader
Intellectual and reformer
Chef and entrepreneur
Fashion designer
Singer-songwriter
TV presenter
Marathon runner
Indigenous Peruvian chronicler
Theologian
Former national team captain
Economist and former health minister
Inca princess
Writer and television host
Folk musician
Poet and guerrilla
Former UN secretary-general
Chef, known for fusion cuisine
Football player
Peruvian aviation pioneer
Poet and artist
Marxist philosopher and writer
Industrialist and businessman
Novelist and ethnologist
Painter and muralist
Opera tenor
Fashion designer
Cardinal of Lima
Peruvian tennis player
Football coach
Leader of the indigenous rebellion
Military hero
War of the Pacific hero
The youngest mother in history
Politician
Creole music singer
Tennis player
Musician
Writer and politician
Politician and founder of the Christian Democratic Party
Founder of Sodalitium Christianae Vitae
Archaeologist and anthropologist
Military leader and politician
Television host
Actress and singer
Contemporary sculptor
Women’s rights activist
Beauty queen
Astrophysicist
Heroine of independence
Mathematician and archaeologist
Historian and anthropologist
Military figure and historical figure
Fashion photographer
Writer, Nobel Prize in Literature, Politician
Revolutionary leader
Environmental activist
Leader of the indigenous rebellion
Musician from Gaia band
War hero
Military leader and politician
Chef, known for Nikkei cuisine
Volleyball coach and former player
Environmental activist
Television personality
Writer
Football player
Epidemiologist and former health Minister
Inventor and aerospace pioneer
Soldier and inventor
Rock singer
Chef and co-owner of Central restaurant
Painter
Football player
TV presenter and actress
Actor
Writer and historian
Journalist and lawyer
Archaeologist, founder of Caral site
Monk and Saint
Saint, patron of Latin America
Physicist and engineer
World champion surfer
Actress
Oncologist
Singer, Latin Grammy winner
Former mayor of Lima
Singer
Actress
Former football player
Painter
Former football player
Painter
Inca leader
Archbishop, saint
Leader of the indigenous rebellion
Revolutionary indigenous leader
Diplomat and intellectual
Sculptor and painter
Political leader, founder of APRA
Lawyer and Former prime minister
Chef of Central restaurant
Former head of secret services
Popular singer
Fashion designer
Exotic music singer
Susana Baca, born on May 24, 1944, in Chorrillos, a district of Lima, is a Peruvian singer, composer, and researcher. She is widely recognized for her role in preserving and promoting Afro-Peruvian music. With her soft and moving voice, Baca has made a mark on the international music scene while bringing new recognition to Afro-Peruvian culture. In addition to her music, she served as Peru's Minister of Culture in 2011, becoming the first Afro-Peruvian woman to hold a ministerial position in the country.
Susana Villarán de la Puente was born on August 16, 1949, in Lima, Peru. Raised in a politically engaged family, she pursued studies in psychology and worked as a teacher before transitioning into public service and activism. Early on, she became involved in human rights advocacy, particularly in Lima’s poorer districts, where she worked closely with vulnerable communities. This hands-on experience deeply influenced her political career and commitment to social justice.
Villarán gained recognition as a strong defender of human rights during the turbulent 1980s and 1990s in Peru. She collaborated with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to support victims of human rights violations during the internal conflict between the Peruvian government and insurgent groups. In 2001, she was appointed Minister of Women and Social Development under President Valentín Paniagua. In this role, she championed gender equality and implemented social programs aimed at supporting women and children in vulnerable situations.
In 2010, Villarán made history by becoming the first female mayor of Lima, running under the left-leaning party Fuerza Social. As mayor, she sought to implement progressive reforms in public transportation, public spaces, and social inclusion. One of her key initiatives was modernizing Lima’s public transport system, a project aimed at improving the city’s chaotic traffic conditions and providing more efficient services. Additionally, Villarán focused on reducing inequality by prioritizing social programs for Lima’s marginalized communities.
Her administration also emphasized transparency and the fight against corruption, which had long plagued Lima’s local government. She positioned herself as a reformer, pushing for accountability in public office and sustainable urban planning for the city.
Despite her progressive agenda, Villarán’s tenure was not without challenges. In 2013, she faced a recall referendum that sought to remove her from office. The recall, largely fueled by opposition to her transportation reforms and other urban projects, put her political future in jeopardy. However, she survived the vote, although the experience significantly affected her popularity.
Villarán’s career took a serious hit in 2018 when she was implicated in the Odebrecht corruption scandal, a case that has affected politicians across Latin America. She admitted to receiving campaign funds from Odebrecht during the 2013 recall referendum but denied personal wrongdoing. The scandal led to her preventive detention in 2019 and damaged her political legacy. Despite the legal battles, Villarán maintains that her reforms were in the best interest of the city’s most vulnerable citizens.
Susana Villarán’s legacy is complex. On the one hand, she is remembered for her pioneering role as Lima’s first female mayor and her efforts to modernize the city while fighting for social inclusion. Her policies aimed at creating more equitable public spaces and improving infrastructure left a mark on Lima’s urban landscape. On the other hand, her involvement in the Odebrecht scandal has cast a shadow over her accomplishments, raising questions about the intersection of politics and corruption in Peru.
Nevertheless, Villarán remains an influential figure in discussions about social justice and human rights in Peru. Her work as an advocate for women’s rights, her fight against poverty, and her dedication to governance reforms have inspired many, particularly in the context of Peru’s ongoing efforts to strengthen democracy and transparency.
Susana Villarán remains a significant figure in Peruvian political history, known for her achievements and controversies alike. As the first woman to lead Lima, she broke barriers and implemented important reforms, although her career has been tainted by her involvement in the Odebrecht scandal. Despite the challenges she faced, Villarán’s legacy as an advocate for human rights and social justice continues to influence the political landscape in Peru, serving as a reminder of both the potential and the pitfalls of political leadership.