Martha Poma

Martha Poma
Official portrait, 2012
Senator for La Paz
In office 19 January 2010 – 18 January 2015
Substitute	Víctor Castro
Preceded by	Luis Vásquez
Succeeded by	Jorge Choque [es]
Personal details
Born	Martha Poma Luque (1964-11-19) 19 November 1964 (age 59) Chojñapata Chiñaja, La Paz, Bolivia
Political party	Movement for Socialism (2006–present)
Other political affiliations	Integrative Social Autonomy (2004)
Occupation	Artisan politician trade unionist

Martha Poma Luque (born 19 November 1964) is a Bolivian politician, trade unionist, and textile artisan who served as senator for La Paz from 2010 to 2015.

Born in highland Omasuyos Province, Poma spent her youth between the rural Altiplano and the migrant city of El Alto. A daughter of artisans, she worked in handicrafts, producing traditional indigenous textiles for much of her life. Poma taught women's workshops on weaving and sewing for the Catholic charity Caritas and held leadership positions in artisan organizations, including as general secretary of the Pachamama Artisans' Association. She served as chair of the Central Council of Artisans of El Alto and represented her trade's labor organizations at the Regional Worker Center and the National Confederation of Artisans.

Following an unsuccessful campaign for a seat on the El Alto Municipal Council in 2004, Poma joined the ranks of the ruling Movement for Socialism. She failed in her first bid for Constituent Assembly in 2006 and finally won a seat in the Senate in 2009. Poma was the first indigenous woman [es] to represent La Paz in the Senate and the first to serve on its directorate. As a representative of El Alto's artisan sector, Poma led the push to revive a long-gridlocked artisanry bill and defended her constituency even when their position conflicted with ruling party policy. She was not nominated for reelection.