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Manuela Sáenz

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description Manuela Sáenz Overview

Manuela Sáenz was an Ecuadorian revolutionary and a prominent figure in the South American wars of independence against the Spanish Empire. She worked closely with Simón Bolívar, serving as his confidante, advisor, and collaborator, and famously saved his life during an assassination attempt in Bogotá in 1828. Because of this intervention, she was granted the honorific title "Libertadora del libertador." Today, she is recognized as a pioneering feminist symbol in Latin America.

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Who was Manuela Sáenz in the South American independence wars?

Manuela Sáenz was an Ecuadorian revolutionary who worked as a confidante, adviser, and political collaborator of Simón Bolívar. She also supported military campaigns and was recognized with the Order of the Sun in 1822.

How did Manuela Sáenz save Simón Bolívar?

During the assassination attempt in Bogotá on September 25, 1828, Sáenz warned Bolívar and urged him to escape through a window. She confronted the attackers while he got away, leading Bolívar to call her the Libertadora del Libertador.

Did Manuela Sáenz fight or serve near the battlefield?

She supported the independence forces in campaigns connected with Pichincha, Junín, and Ayacucho, handling military and logistical work as well as political duties. Her participation challenged the usual limits placed on women in the independence armies.

Where did Manuela Sáenz spend her final years?

After Bolívar's death and the breakup of Gran Colombia, Sáenz lived in exile in Paita, Peru. She died there on November 23, 1856.

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