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

Manuela Garaicoa de Calderón

Other names: Garaycoa

Gender:Female

Ethnic origen: White

Events:

Connections:

Biography:
She married Coronel Francisco García Calderón. They lived in Cuenca, Ecuador, until his death in 1812. She then moved to Guayaquil, where she educated her children and supported her son, Abdón, in his action in the liberating army, making his uniforms. He died at the battle of Pichincha in 1820. Manuela rejected Bolívar's plans for a Gran Colombia. Her daughter, Baltasara participated in the post-independent order.

She is said to have been one of the "Madres del Patria". (Estrada, 38-39)

She is mentioned for her part in the independence struggles (unspecified). (Jiménez, 21)

In 1826 Simón Bolívar wrote to her joking that he had sent a copy of his Bolivian Constitution to her daughter Baltasara expecting her to memorise it so he could hear from her "bella boca la reprodución de mis ideas". (Davies et al, 35)

References:

Davies, Catherine, Brewster, Claire and Owen, Hilary (2006) South American Independence. Gender, Politics, Text
Estrada, Jenny (1984) Mujeres de Guayaquil, siglo XVI al siglo XX
Jiménez de la Vega, Mercedes (1981) La mujer ecuatoriana, frustraciones y esperanzas