Nicaraguan revolutionary
Petrona Hernández López |
---|
|
Born | Maria de la Cruz 3 May 1890? |
---|
Died | 14 February 2007
El Carmen |
---|
Other names | Amanda Aguilar |
---|
Occupation | Revolutionary |
---|
Petrona Hernández López (3 May 1890? - 14 February 2007), born Maria de la Cruz, better known as Amanda Aguilar, was a revolutionary from Nicaragua.
Biography
Maria de la Cruz was reputedly born on 3 May 1890, she adopted the name Amanda Aguilar as a revolutionary and then later adopted the name Petrona Hernández López for her own protection.[1] Her family lived in poverty in a rural area.[2]
López was a member of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) and fought for Nicaraguan independence against the Somocista dynasty from the 1930s until 1979.[1] In 1961 her whole family joined the FSLN.[3] She had three children, two of whom were killed by the dictatorship.[4] Two of her brothers, Juan and Esteban Hernández, were also killed: they were thrown from an aeroplane.[4] Her mother, María Venancia, was also part of the revolutionary struggle.[4] In the 1920s they both collaborated with Sandino against the occupation by US Marines.[5]
López died on 14 February 2007. After her death, president Daniel Ortega paid tribute to her heroism in the war.[6] At her death she was considered the oldest woman in Nicaruagua.[7] She was buried in El Carmen, Rancho Grande, at the church of the Assemblies of God.[8]
The Women of the Cua
During the 1960s many women from the municipality of El Cuá organised themselves so that they could support the guerrillas.[3] In 1968, the area was attacked by the Somocista National Guard: the men were killed and the women were imprisoned.[3] The National Guard wanted to obtain information about guerrilla activity, but the women refused to collaborate, as a result nineteen of these women were raped and tortured.[6] These nineteen became known as the Women of the Cua.[3] After six months of imprisonment, rape and torture they were released.[4] Her mother, María Venancia, died during captivity.[9] Upon release, López was spoke out about their experience, which shocked public opinion.[2] López was the oldest member of the group, and became known as their leader.[10] Other members included: Gladys Baez, Gloria Martinez, Doris Tijerino, amongst others.[11]
Their heroism was recorded in a poem by Ernesto Cardenal, which was published in 1985.[12] It became a popular revolutionary song written by Carlos Mejía Godoy.[4]
Awards
The Order of Augusto Cesar Sandino - posthumously awarded, 2017.[6]
Legacy
In 2019 The Women Militants of the FSLN “Amanda Aguilar” were established as a campaign group for gender equality with the organisation, named after Lopez's revolutionary alias.[13]
Aguilar on Film
References