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Gilda Margarita Alonzo Argueta

2018 Fellow

Deputy Chairwoman, TODOS Political Party

Margarita Alonzo
Guatemala

Margarita is a Guatemalan politician and scientist. She started her political career in college, serving as vice-president and president of the student body at Del Valle University. She got involved in politics to give students a voice in major university decisions.

After working in public service, she realized that to make real change in Guatemala, she had to become a decision-maker. She and a multi-disciplinary group of colleagues founded the Transparency, Order, Development, Opportunities and Security (TODOS) party. This non-traditional party values inclusivity and representation above all, giving a voice to women and youth. She was elected as a member of the National Board during the First National Convention, and subsequently served as the National Secretary of Science and Technology of the party, developing entrepreneurship programs focused on promoting economic independence of women, community leaders and youth.

In 2014, Margarita became the sixth Andi Parhamovich Fellow at the National Democratic Institute in Washington, D.C., developing a project to promote women’s leadership in Guatemala. In 2015, she became a Vital Voices VVLead Fellow and ran for Congress in Guatemala on the National List in the 2015 elections. Two years later, she was elected as Deputy Chairwoman of the TODOS Party. Margarita continues to advocate for women with a project to promote women’s political participation at the local level for the upcoming 2019 elections.

She graduated with a degree in Biochemistry and Microbiology and a Master’s degree in International Relations. She was a member of the National Team representing Guatemala at the International Mathematic Olympiads in 1999 and 2000.

 

She was selected as a Fellow for the first VV Engage Cohort.