born ▁December ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 ) ▁is ▁a ▁former ▁politician ▁from ▁Puerto ▁Rico . ▁She ▁is ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁dem ocrat ically ▁elected ▁governor ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico , ▁Luis ▁Mu ñ oz ▁Mar ín , ▁founder ▁of ▁the ▁Popular ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁and ▁his ▁second ▁wife , ▁In és ▁M endo za . ▁Mu ñ oz ▁M endo za ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁in ▁Puerto ▁R ican ▁history ▁to ▁seek ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Governor ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico . ▁ ▁Education ▁Mu ñ oz ▁attended ▁University ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Rio ▁P ied ras , ▁Puerto ▁Rico . ▁She ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico , ▁where ▁she ▁received ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁Liter ature ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁ ▁Mu ñ oz ▁M endo za ▁first ▁went ▁into ▁active ▁in ▁politics ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁when ▁she ▁made ▁an ▁un success ful ▁bid ▁to ▁become ▁Mayor ▁of ▁San ▁Juan . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁she ▁was ▁chosen ▁to ▁replace ▁a ▁sen ator ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico . ▁She ▁held ▁the ▁seat ▁for ▁seven ▁years , ▁after ▁having ▁been ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁she ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁to ▁seek ▁the ▁governor ship ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico . ▁She ▁faced ▁Pedro ▁Ross ell ó ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Progress ive ▁Party ▁and ▁ended ▁up ▁losing . ▁ ▁She ▁retired ▁from ▁politics ▁soon