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María Cristina Arango de Pastrana

1928 – 2017

First Lady of Colombia

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About María Cristina Arango de Pastrana

Lived 1928 – 2017 (aged 88). María Cristina Arango de Pastrana was a Colombian politician.

María Cristina Arango de Pastrana (; 15 October 1928 – 15 September 2017) was the first lady of Colombia from 1970 to 1974, as the wife of Misael Pastrana, the 26th president of Colombia. Among her children is Andrés Pastrana, the 33rd President of Colombia. Arango de Pastrana, Enriqueta Vásquez de Ospina, and María Michelsen de López are the only three women who have been the wife of a Colombian president and the mother of another. Arango de Pastrana was generally popular as First Lady due to her liberal political positions, which contrasted with the conservative policies of her husband.

María Cristina Arango was born in Bogotá, D.C. She met Misael Pastrana in 1946, they became engaged in the middle of that same year, and married in February 1951. Arango de Pastrana became First Lady in 1970 after her husband's inauguration as President. During her time at the Casa de Nariño, she dedicated herself fully to directing the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare, characterized by her liberal approach. She continued to actively participate in political campaigns after leaving the Casa de Nariño, as her eldest son, Andrés, ran for mayor of Bogotá and president.

Personal life María Cristina Arango Vega was born on 15 October 1928, in Bogotá, D.C., to the liberal politician Carlos Arango Vélez and María Vega de Arango (née Vega Jaramillo).

She met Misael in Rome, Italy, in 1946 while her father was serving as Colombia's ambassador to the Vatican City. The couple became engaged that same year and married on 24 February 1951, in the Chapel of the Madonna Della Strada at the San Bartolomé School in Bogotá. The couple had four children: Juan Carlos, Andrés, Jaime, and Cristina.

María Cristina and Misael lived their retirement outside Bogotá. She campaigned for her son in the 1998 presidential election, maintaining a low profile. After Misael's death in 1997, María Cristina withdrew from public life, returning in 1998 for Andrés Pastrana's inauguration.

In 2010, María Cristina became the second oldest former first lady, after Cecilia Caballero Blanco. María Cristina died on 15 September 2017, at the age of 89.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Positions held
First Lady of Colombia
Also known as
Maria Cristina Arango Vega

Family & relationships

Spouse
Misael Pastrana Borrero
Child
Andrés Pastrana Arango

People in María Cristina Arango de Pastrana's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped María Cristina Arango de Pastrana's

Frequently asked questions

Who was María Cristina Arango de Pastrana?

First Lady of Colombia

When was María Cristina Arango de Pastrana born?

María Cristina Arango de Pastrana was born on 15 October 1928 in Bogotá.

When did María Cristina Arango de Pastrana die?

María Cristina Arango de Pastrana died on 15 September 2017 in Bogotá.

What was María Cristina Arango de Pastrana's occupation?

María Cristina Arango de Pastrana was a politician.

What nationality was María Cristina Arango de Pastrana?

María Cristina Arango de Pastrana was Colombian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: María Cristina Arango de Pastrana

· Wikidata: Q6781949

· DBpedia: María Cristina Arango Vega

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). María Cristina Arango de Pastrana. https://biography.guide/maria-cristina-arango-de-pastrana/

MLA: "María Cristina Arango de Pastrana." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/maria-cristina-arango-de-pastrana/.

Chicago: "María Cristina Arango de Pastrana." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/maria-cristina-arango-de-pastrana/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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