An exploration of women's involvement in the Latin American Wars of Independence

María Guadalupe Cuenca de Moreno

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Buenos Aires, 1834

María Guadalupe Cuenca

Gender:Female

Ethnic origen: Unknown

Events:

Connections:

Texts:
1811 -
1811 - carta
1811 - carta
1811 - carta
1811 - Letter to her husband who was on his way to Europe.
1811 - carta
1811 - carta
1811 - Note written to her huband who was on his way to Europe. She sends a copy of the Gaceta.

Biography:
She was born in Chuquisaca (Sucre) where she met Mariano Moreno, who was studying at the university. He saw a portrait of her and asked who she was. They married on 20 May 1804. In 1805 they moved to Buenos Aires with their infant son. On 25 January 1811 he sailed for Europe, leaving her in Buenos Aires. She wrote several letters to him, none of which reached him, as he died at sea on 4 March 1811. She asked the government for a pension, which was granted. She son also joined the army; he left the country during Rosas's rule and returned with Guadalupe. She died in Buenos Aires on 1 September 1854. (Sosa de Newton, 165).

She wrote a letter in May 1811, in which she stated: "The Junta gave orders that the alcades in each quarter should tell their citizens to erect triumphal arches and other things, to show their patriotism, and to put up double illuminations besides their usual contribution. I haven't given anything. […] The festival has been a poor thing, and the crowds have been small. […] It seems to me that the people are not contented." (Halperín-Donghi, 163-164)

Her letters to Manuel Moreno are reproduced on the following website: http://www.literatura.org/25Mayo/cartapa.html

References:

Halperín-Donghi, Tulio (1975) Politics Economics and Society in Argentina in the Revolutionary Period
Sosa de Newton, Lily (1986) Diccionario biográfico de mujeres argentinas