Politics & LawCivil Rights
A legendary life
Manuela Sáenz
Manuela Sáenz de Vergara y Aizpuru
1797 – 1856
South American revolutionary who supported independence and advocated for women's rights.
Her story
A life that changed history
Manuela Sáenz gathered intelligence, distributed political materials, and actively supported South American independence. She received the Order of the Sun for her service and saved Simón Bolívar from an assassination attempt in 1828.
“What I am is, with a formidable character, a friend to my friends and an enemy to my enemies.”
Letter to Ecuadorian president Juan José Flores, 6 May 1834; translated from Spanish