Maria Juliana Ruiz

María Juliana Ruiz Sandoval (born 25 May 1978) is a Colombian lawyer who served as First Lady of Colombia from 2018 to 2022 as the wife of President Iván Duque.

Biography Early years Ruiz was born in Bogotá in 1978, to Luis Fernando Ruiz and Gloria Sandoval. She did her basic studies at the Marymount School and later entered the Pontifical Xavierian University, where she studied law.

After her experience in the United States, she returned to her native country to join the Shaio Clinic, where she served as Secretary General until she became the nation's First Lady in 2018, when her husband Iván Duque Márquez was elected President of Colombia, succeeding Juan Manuel Santos. From her position, Ruiz has led various social projects, most notably the Great Alliance for Nutrition, an initiative that seeks to mitigate the impact of child malnutrition in the country.

Personal life Ruiz met Iván Duque Márquez in his youth