Born about 1795, in Guaduas, Colombia. Her parents were, José Joaquín Salavarrieta and Mariana Rios de Salavarrieta, Policarpa had 8 siblings. Despite the strain of such a large household, the family had a reputable standing in the community. When Policarpa was still a child the family moved to Bogotá, where her father had bought a house. However, tragedy struck soon after the move: around 1802, a smallpox swept through the country and killed many including both of her parents and 2 of her brothers. After this major blow, her family fell apart, luckily for Policarpa, she was taken in by her older sister, Caterina. In 1804, Caterina had saved enough money to move back to Guaduas and she took Policarpa and her brother, Bibiano with her. They siblings moved in with their godmother, Margarita Beltrán. Several years later, Caterina married, Domingo Garcia and brought Policarpa and Bibiano to live with them.
Policarpa's upbringing was politically-charged as most of South America was on the brink of war with Spain, after increased disillusionment with colonial rule had steadily been growing in the shadows for decades. In the early 1780's her godmother, Margarita Beltrán was a rebel who fought against the colonial powers during the Comunero Rebellion, which occurred after the Spanish viceroy tried to implement newer taxes. Caterina's husband, Domingo Garcia, was also a patriot who fought for Colombian independence. He was later killed during a campaign led by Antonio Nariño. Policarpa's brother, Bibiano was also a veteran of the campaign, he returned to Guaduas severely wounded, after being brutally treated in colonial prison. Witnessing the suffering of those around her, fueled Policarpa's desire to fight against Spanish oppression.
However Policarpa's hadn't always dreamt to be a revolutionary, she also wanted to be get an education. She was a good student and could both read and write deftly. According to some sources she was a teacher at public schools. Policarpa also received training as a seamstress, a career path that would have unforeseen advantages later on.
Though she began her delve into the revolution in Guaduas, her and her brother, Bibiano had to flee to Bogotá once suspicions around their underground revolutionary activities arose. Carrying a signed letter from two guerilla leaders, Ambrosio Almeyda and José Rodríguez, Policarpa and Bibiano were able to slip into Bogota with relative ease. As neither she nor her brother were known in Bogotá , Policarpa had the liberty to move around freely. She joined the rebel forces based in the city. It was at this time that Policarpa's patriotism began to gain more serious traction and she received instruction on how she could contribute to the growing independence movement. After her skills as a seamstress were discovered, some rebel leaders suggested she should work as a seamstress for Spanish royalists. In doing this, she infiltrated their spaces and gleaned valuable information including royalist activities, armies and arsenals.
According to popular legend while in Bogotá, Policarpa met and fell in love with fellow revolutionary, Alejo Sabarain. The couple worked closely with the rest of the resistance and would've gone undetected if the guerilla leader, Ambrosio Almeyda hadn't been arrested. Upon his capture, he was carrying documents incriminating Policarpa. It was from then on that her life began fell apart. Once news of Almeyda's imprisonment reached the rebels, everyone fled including Alejo, but he too was captured before he got too far. At this point Policarpa's significance wasn't recognized by authorities, but Alejo had been carrying a roster that also included Policarpa's name which gave the Spanish authorities enough reason to arrest her after arresting and interrogating her lover, Alejo.
On November 10, 1817, Policarpa was sentenced to death by firing squad, her execution was slated for November 14. She was escorted to the place of execution by two priests, who asked her to seek forgiveness but she steadfastly refused. She instead cursed the oppression forced upon the Colombian people by Spanish colonial authorities. Once she arrived she was told she would be shot in the back, because she had committed treason against the Spanish crown. Her only request was she be allowed to kneel, as she felt it was the noble way too go. But just before the fatal shot was fired, she uttered words that are still remembered in Colombia to this day, " Although I'm a woman and young, I have more than enough courage to suffer this courage to suffer this death and a thousand more!".
Colombia declared it's independence on July 20, 1810, after the Junta de Santa Fe, in Bogota was established. But it wasn't until nearly a decade later that Colombian forces finally defeated the Spanish viceroy's forces. Prior to Policarpa's death anti-colonial sentiment had yet to take root amongst the majority of the people but after her execution, she inspired many more people to take up arms against their oppressors. In 1910, Policarpa became the first Latina woman commemorated on a postage stamp, to commemorate the centennial of Colombian independence and in 1977, she appeared on the 2 peso note.
https://belatina.com/la-pola-colombian-revolutionary/
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Non-Fiction"We need women who are so strong they can be gentle, so educated they can be humble, so fierce they can be compassionate, so passionate they can be rational and so disciplined they can be free" ...
