María de Lourdes Santiago Negrón is a Puerto Rican lawyer and independentista leader born on November 13, 1968, in Adjuntas . She represents the *Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño * as *Senator At-Large * in the Puerto Rico Senate, currently serving the 2025-2028 term after re-election in 2024. Notable achievements include being the first woman from PIP elected to the Senate in 2004, the top vote-getter among at-large senators in 2012, the first independentista woman to run for governor in 2016, and vicepresidenta of PIP since 2001. She led civil disobedience in Vieques in 2002, resulting in a month in jail, and advocates for independence, LGBTQ+ rights, gender equity, public education, health reform, environmental justice, and food sovereignty.

Education and Political Experience

• Law degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law
• Early career as judicial officer and civil lawyer before entering politics in 1997 as legislative advisor for PIP

Political Experience

• Elected Vicepresidenta of PIP in 2001
• Senate At-Large
• First woman spokesperson for a Senate delegation
• PIP gubernatorial candidate in 2016
• Key work on addiction, mental health, environment, economy, gender issues, and political status