Discover the Ecuadorian’s “Caballeresa del Sol” or Dame of The Sun. Travel back to the 1800s and fight alongside the revolutionary lover of Simón Bolívar, the leader of the South American independence armies struggling against the colonial powers.
Written by H.E Lourdes Puma Puma, Ambassador of Ecuador to Malaysia (2014).
The long struggle for independence by the Latin American and Caribbean countries, from colonialism, and then neocolonialism, has also been one marked by glorious deeds and unsung heroes. And through those tumultous times of fighting for freedom, women have occupied a remarkable place and played a great role, though not always recognised by history. Among these great women was Manuela Sáenz, born in Quito, Ecuador in 1795, and considered a heroine in the struggle for independence in South America.
Manuela’s impact on the independence movement is greatly underestimated today, as she is remembered mostly as the lover of Simon Bolivar, the leader of the independence armies in Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia. She was, however, active in the independence movement long before meeting Bolivar, and it must be stressed that many of Bolivar’s greatest moments came in the eight years they were together, as he relied on her intelligence and astuteness for political advice, and her convictions impacted one way or another on many of the political decisions he made.
Her life was marked by the breaking of the moral conventionalism of the period, within the context of revolution and military struggle. She was an exceptional woman, a revolutionary and a free thinker, and also a representative of the wider engagement of South American women with politics, who played a very relevant role in the independence processes. Manuela was an early feminist who broke all the traditions of the period in which she lived. She actively participated in planning and funding a good deal of rebel activity. She fought at Pichincha, Junín and Ayacucho and was recognised by Sucre, Bolivar’s second-in-command, as an important part of his victories. She generally dressed in the uniform of a cavalry officer, complete with sabre. An excellent rider, her promotions – from lieutenant to captain – were not merely for show. She opened the way for all women to realise that there is no limitation when you believe in yourself and the objectives or the causes that you decide to devote your life to.
She served as military strategist, soldier, politician and archivist, and became a symbol of the Latin American search for independence, as well as an important figure in the early Republic, during Bolivar’s post-war efforts to assert his own political primacy. Her political importance grew after the wars for independence ended and she took up residence in Bolivar’s official home in 1826. Her role was to defend the person and interests of a man she regarded as an indispensable leader, and this is the ideal around which she cemented all her actions. This also explains her loyalty and commitment to Bolivar and ultimately this is why she earned the title “la libertadora del libertador” (the liberatrix of the liberator) when she repeatedly saved his life during numerous assassination attempts.
After Bolivar’s death, she faced discrimination in her efforts to remain a political force in the new republics, due to her association with him. She was exiled, first to Jamaica, and finally to the Port of Paita in Peru.
Even in exile, for more than 26 years and in conditions of extreme poverty, she never regretted abandoning her privileged life for the ideals of independence she espoused. She believed in the need for the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean, as the only way to gain our real and total Independence, and the development for the well – being of our people.
With the new dawn, Latin America has begun to recognise the female figures who marked the political, economic and social progress in the region.
The Government of Ecuador, led by President Rafael Correa Delgado, posthumously awarded Manuela Saenz, the rank of General in the Ecuadorian Army, a just homage to a person who was worthy of the revolutionary period to which she gave the prime years of her life. The Governments and/or civil societies of Bolivia, Peru and Venezuela have also joined in this recognition for her contribution to the independence of those countries.
Manuela Sáenz’s struggles and the boldly triumphant life she led, continue to be a guide for Ecuadorian and Latin American women, so that they are never limited in their influence, their decisions and their ability to mould the destiny of themselves and their countries.
Contributor Profile
H.E. Lourdes Puma Puma
Ambassador of Ecuador to Malaysia

The road to a career in the diplomatic corp is one that requires a depth of education, a great degree of professionalism and preferable ministerial experience. Ambassador Puma Puma is no exception. Equipped with a major in Political Science from Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Quito in her homeland, she embarked on a career that would provide a wealth of valuable experience in a short timespan. Diplomacy is in her blood, and a glance at her list of assignments confirms a foreign affairs experience that spans the globe.
Ambassador Puma Puma, once Head of the National Authority of Chemical Weapons and Member of the Confidentiality Commission of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, has represented her country almost everywhere. She was Counselor at the Embassy of Ecuador in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and other Baltic countries, and held the same position in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. In South America, she was appointed to the Embassy of Ecuador in Chile and Deputy Head of Mission in Brazil, before being drawn East, where she was assigned as Ambassador for Ecuador in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and of course Malaysia – the place she currently calls ‘home’.