Victoria Muñoz Mendoza Victoria `` Melo '' Muñoz Mendoza ( born 1940 ) is a former politician from Puerto Rico . She is the daughter of the first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico , Luis Muñoz Marín , founder of the Popular Democratic Party . Muñoz Mendoza was the first woman in Puerto Rican history to seek the seat of Governor of Puerto Rico . Education Muñoz attended high school in San Juan . She went to the University of Puerto Rico , where she received a degree in Literature in 1958 . Political career Muñoz Mendoza first went into active in politics in 1984 when she made an unsuccessful bid to become Mayor of San Juan . In 1986 , she was chosen to replace a senator in the Senate of Puerto Rico . She held the seat for seven years , after having been re-elected in 1988 . In 1992 , she became the first woman to seek the governorship of Puerto Rico . She was seriously attacked by opposing candidate Pedro Rosselló of the New Progressive Party and ended up losing by a landslide . She retired from politics soon after her electoral defeat . In 2000 , Sila María Calderón was elected Governor of Puerto Rico , becoming the first woman to do so . Muñoz Mendoza vehemently campaigned and endorsed her , fulfilling her dream of having a female Governor . Popular Democratic Party Gubernatorial Nominees Muñoz Marín  | Sánchez Vilella  | Negrón López  | Hernández Colón  | Muñoz Mendoza  | Acevedo  | Calderón  | Hernández Mayoral  | Acevedo Vilá Categories : 1940 births | Living people | Members of the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico | Puerto Rican politicians | Senators of Puerto Rico 