ALBUQUERQUE – The first Hispanic woman to serve as a U.S. ambassador has died.
Mari-Luci Jaramillo died Nov. 20 in Albuquerque. She was 91.
Jaramillo had served as ambassador to Honduras under President Jimmy Carter, helping ease the country out of military dictatorship.
She was born in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Her father was a Mexican-born shoemaker and musician, and her mother was a Spanish-American homemaker. They encouraged her to get an education to escape poverty.
Jaramillo served in various positions at universities and in the education field. She was deputy assistant secretary of defense for Latin America under President Bill Clinton’s administration.
Friends and family remembered her as a humble woman who advocated for civil rights.
Funeral services for Jaramillo are scheduled for Tuesday in Albuquerque.
