The Gen Z First Lady

Your definitive guide to women, politics and power.

Dec 13, 2024 View in browser   By Katherine Long Illustration by Jade Cuevas/POLITICO (source images via Getty Images and iStock) Happy Friday Rulers! This week I went to the Embassy of Ecuador to interview Ecuador's First Lady Lavinia Valbonesi during her visit to D.C. On that note, let’s get to it. Ecuador stands in the shadows of a unique election cycle. The country’s former president, Guillermo Lasso, a conservative, faced impeachment inquiries in May 2023, prompting him to invoke a mechanism known as muerte cruzada — or mutual death — to dissolve Parliament and hold a special election for his replacement. In the snap election that took place later that year, the country chose the American-born Daniel Noboa, a 37-year-old businessperson and former assembly member who made history as the youngest president in Ecuador’s history. Noboa’s wife, now First Lady Lavinia Valbonesi, also claims a historic first as Ecuador’s youngest first lady. Valbonesi, a 26-year-old nutritionist and influencer with a large social media following, is an anomaly in this role. As the Gen Zer shares with Women Rule, she is well aware that her ascension to this role is unique. Earlier this year, she met with First Lady Jill Biden to share her work to combat violence against women and children in hopes of garnering U.S. support for the cause. In the past year, Valbonesi has focused on a number of initiatives relating to women, children and gender-based violence in the region. In tandem with the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, Women Rule met with Valbonesi during her D.C. visit to discuss her work. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. To start, I wanted to talk about what inspired you to focus specifically on women, violence and children. Well, as you know, my husband is a [politician] and I was able to visit so many places around my country and hear so many stories. And the one [thing] that I heard the most was the problems with [violence against] women, and that moved me the most. Our statistics are really high. Seven [out] of 10 women in Ecuador have been a victim of violence. In the last 60 years of first ladies in Latin America, there has not been one first lady that has worked on this. Because it's something that is really hard to work on and also really hard to make results. The role of first lady doesn't exist in Ecuador, so that means that I don't have a team or economic support. And it has been really hard, starting a project like this one from zero, but I'm so happy to tell you that with the help of the private sector, we have made some [advancements]. First of all, one project is called Project Ana that has three phases. The first one is prevention. We have a project that is called caravan escolar, [where we send caravans to schools] to give health care, psychological care, gynecologists and dentists, a little bit of everything. We go to public schools and give this service for free. Early pregnancy is something so cultural and it has been normalized, but it's not. It's so common for us. For example, in one class I found 12 girls pregnant at 15 years old. We have made different alliances with universities, institutes and different centers, in which we gave these women education in different areas. And after they finish these different courses, we give them employment. I think it's the biggest gift you can give to a woman, to start a new chapter in her life. And the last one, and one we thought will be the most difficult to address, was to create a private shelter home. So we will be able to receive 50 women with their children, and also create a space inside where these women that are not able to leave their houses, can escape for a few hours to have these different courses and educate themselves for the next chapter. Gender-based violence is a global issue. What are some unique challenges that Ecuador in particular is facing in terms of gender-based violence? I think the biggest challenge is the cultural one, because it's difficult to change this mindset that has been around for so many years … Also, we're a very conservative country, and that makes it even harder to talk about the [problems], because it's hard for a victim of violence talk about it or find a safe space to do it. And that's what I want to tell you we're creating in Manabe … the first hospital focused on attending to women and children, because what we have seen is that these women that have been victims of violence don’t feel that they have a safe place, even if they go to hospitals or to [a psychiatrist] or to the police. So we want to train these doctors that are in this hospital how to treat them, how to make them feel they have a safe space. I wanted to touch back on Project Ana. From what you've seen since its implementation, what have some of the successes been? What has been the overall perception of how it’s going so far? Well, I think we have made amazing [advancements]. To be honest at the beginning, as the youngest first lady, I have a lot of pressure, but I have had [good results]. We have helped more than 4,000 women. And also, because of different donations from the private sector, we are not only helping women that have been victims of violence, but also families. … So I think we're making a difference, and because of the results we're having, people are having trust in us. Are there any particular interactions with women you've had that have inspired you or stand out to you? Yes, well, the woman who inspired me to create Project Ana was called Ana. When we were creating this project, for me, it was very important to keep the face of a woman that represents these women and that has been a victim of violence. And she wasn't only a victim of violence, she was an example of resilience, and that you can have a second chance to start a new chapter in your life. So that's why. Project Ana was a form to honor all these victims, and especially her. You met with First Lady Jill Biden earlier this year. She's an amazing first lady. And as a person, to be honest, that was one of my first [protocol] visits. I was extremely nervous, but she was great. She made me feel so comfortable. And also, we have been working with this team to find some cooperation between her and my project. I hope, before [President Joe Biden’s] government is finished, we can have [some collaboration]. With the U.S. and Ecuador, are there any parallels that you see in terms of gender-based violence in the two countries? I think this is a common [problem] that not only the United States has. It is around all these countries. I think they have a lot of interest in this project and that if we make alliances, we can get so much help [for] Ecuador. … That's why I'm here to ask for help, to see in what ways we can cooperate together. You have a very large social media presence, and you're very open about your work and personal life. I was curious how, when you were transitioning to being first lady, did that impact your social media presence? Well, it really impacted it because the way I managed social media was easier than it is right now. Because in a position like the one I'm rolling right now, you have to take more care about what you say and how you manage things. But I like to still be [involved], because our country is a young country, and so it's really connected [online]. Social media has had an important role during the campaign, and how my husband, the government, has been communicating everything. And I think it's amazing how you connect with people, how you inform people, and how you can help people because it's on social media. We receive a lot of [requests from people having] emergencies, and it's like another open door to help them. Looking forward, what's on your agenda? What are you hoping to accomplish in the new year? Well, I hope I can extend my projects around all the country. I hope to do all these projects in all the country, all the provinces. And I hope I could be able to create at least two more shelter homes for my project. So I think we have made results. And it will keep growing and growing. How has being a mother impacted this work? Well, I think as all mothers, it's become hard to leave my home. I think because my babies are so, so babies, every time I see a mother and child, I feel more connected with those stories, and I feel it more. And I think that's what motivates me the most, and makes me want to wake up every morning and keep doing it, because I really love doing it. I have a [once] in a lifetime opportunity. I hope I can help as many lives as possible.   Billions in spending. Critical foreign aid. Immigration reform. The final weeks of 2024 could bring major policy changes. Inside Congress provides daily insights into how Congressional leaders are navigating these high-stakes issues. Subscribe today.     POLITICO Special Report Eraldo Peres/AP POLITICO 28: The most powerful person in Europe by POLITICO Staff for POLITICO EU: “Indeed, since her election in 2022, the Italian prime minister has introduced policies on issues like migration and LGBTQ+ rights that would once have drawn condemnation from Brussels. 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