| There are some who have not doubted in calling her the Margaret Thatcher of the Ecuadorian fishing. She is Lucia Fernandez de la Genna, ex- beauty queen and president of the main union of tuna fishermen in Ecuador. Gonzalo Mora, her assistant in the Association of Tuna Industrialists of Ecuador, indicates that she has much personality, was born to be a leader and assures that she will make the tuna boat owners a compact and united structural force. Mrs. Fernandez caused controversy when she announced that the Ecuadorian Tuna Industrialists will return to capture tuna the west of the Galapagos, an area prohibited for fishing through the creation of the Law of Special Regime for the province of Galapagos. |
She clarified, nevertheless, that fishermen will not return by force but "at some moment, science, reasoning and truth will prevail in benefit of this activity that gives Ecuador sources of work and wealth".
Fernandez remembered that each boat gives an income to 20 families directly and benefits 10 other families indirectly.
Lucia Fernandez was elected Miss Ecuador in 1972, when she was 16 years old. She represented the country in the match of Miss Universe in Tokyo. Together with her husband,, Mario De Genna Arteaga, they are shipbuilders and proprietors of the boats Joselito Tuna Industrialists, Don Mario and Lucia T.
She is mother of four children and besides to preside over the Association of Tuna Industrialists, evolves like manager of the Manareco company, that sells spare parts for diesel engine machinery.
