Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva

Who is Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva?

Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva, is the second wife of former President of Brazil Luiz Inácio "Lula" da Silva, and thus she was the First Lady of Brazil from 2003 to 2010. Lula's first wife, Maria de Lourdes da Silva, died in labour when Lula was in his twenties.

Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva was born in the city of São Bernardo do Campo, in the São Paulo's Metropolitan Area. There she grew up, studied, worked, married and built her political militancy. She has been married to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva since 1974 and has four children and two grandchildren.

Born of Italian grandparents, Marisa Letícia is the penultimate daughter among the Antonio João Casa and Regina Rocco Casa's 11 children.

Until she was five years old, Marisa lived with her family in the old Casa farm, where her grandfather built the St. Anthony Chapel that exists until today. The area is currently known as the Casa neighborhood in honor of her family, one of the first ones to arrive.

In 1955 the family moved to downtown São Bernardo do Campo. Marisa’s first school was made of wood. In third grade she was transferred to the school Grupo Escolar Maria Iracema Munhoz.