Madeleine Albright, the first woman to hold the position of Secretary of State in the U.S. government, died Wednesday, March 23 at the age of 84, her family announced in a statement.

She was head of the diplomacy between 1997 and 2001, in the administration of Democratic President Bill Clinton, Madeleine Albright died of cancer, said his family, who salute "a tireless defender of democracy and human rights.

Madeleine Albright helped "change the course of history," said President Joe Biden.

"She was an immigrant fleeing persecution," he said in a statement. "And like so many others before and after her, she was a proud American." "To make this country she loved even more beautiful, she defied convention, broke barriers, again and again," the American leader applauded.

She was "a passionate voice for freedom and democracy," Bill Clinton also praised her, saying her death was "a great loss to the world at a time when we most need the lessons of her life.

The UN Security Council held a minute's silence in memory of the woman who was also U.S. ambassador to the United Nations for four years (1993-1997).  

"The American Dream"

She was born on May 15, 1937, in Prague, Madeleine Albright was a polyglot refugee, who first fled Nazism by taking refuge in London in 1939 with her Jewish family.

A decade later, her relatives, who had meanwhile returned to Czechoslovakia, decided to emigrate to the United States, where her brilliant studies would allow Madeleine Albright to reach the highest steps of power.

"She lived the American dream and helped others achieve it," said George W. Bush of this woman who spoke English, Czech, French and Russian.

In 2001, just after his arrival in the White House, she created the "Albright Group", an international strategy consultancy based in Washington, which still has a strong influence on the international scene.

U.S. diplomatic spokesman Ned Price called her death "heartbreaking." "She was a trailblazer," he stressed. "As the first female secretary of state, she literally paved the way for much of our profession."

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair assured that she was one of the "most remarkable people" he had the privilege to work with, praising her "deep compassion for humanity."

Israeli President Isaac Herzog hailed her in a tweet as "a feminist icon, an exceptional leader" and "a true friend of Israel".

In April 2012, awarding her the "Presidential Medal of Freedom," the highest civilian award in the United States.