María Dolores Bedoya de Molina (September 20, 1783 – July 9, 1853) was a Guatemalan activist. She is remembered for her role in the movement for
Central America's independence from Spain in the early 19th century.
Biography
Bedoya was born in Guatemala in 1783.
In 1804, she married physician (and later politician and independence leader)
Pedro Molina.
The couple moved to
Granada, Nicaragua
Granada () is a city in western Nicaragua and the capital of the Granada Department. With an estimated population of 104,980 (2021), it is Nicaragua's ninth most populous city. Granada is historically one of Nicaragua's most important cities, eco ...
, where Molina served as a battalion doctor until 1811; they returned to Guatemala in 1814.
Bedoya is remembered for her role in Central America's quest for independence from the Spanish Empire. She is credited with mobilizing women to participate in the independence movement. She is said to have travelled the streets of Guatemala City on the eve of September 15, accompanied by Basilio Porras, to garner support for independence.
On September 15, 1821, while nobility gathered to debate the issue of independence, Bedoya led a celebration among a crowd of advocates outside the palace.
With music, fireworks, and a lively crowd, Bedoya's celebration is said to have spurred on the decision to sign for independence, as those inside the palace heard their noises and feared being attacked by the group.
Bedoya's brother Mariano was assassinated in 1821; the Molina-Bedoya family left Guatemala City for
Verapaz.
Her husband later became Head of State of Guatemala, from 1823 to 1831.
The couple lived their remaining years in political exile in
Antigua, Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala (), commonly known as Antigua or La Antigua, is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala. The city was the capital of the Captaincy General of Guatemala from 1543 through 1773, with much of its Baroque-influenced architectu ...
.
Bedoya died in 1853 after suffering from a long-term illness.
Legacy
Bedoya's contributions to the independence movement were not recorded in texts, due to women's station at the time.
Today, she is recognized as a Guatemalan national hero.
As a tribute, in part, to her role in garnering support for independence, and to commemorate Independence Day, people in Guatemala parade through the streets on September 14 of each year.
One of her dresses is displayed in the
Guatemalan National History Museum.
In 1983, on the 200th anniversary of her birth, a statue of Bedoya was erected outside of a school named in her honour in Guatemala City.
On September 15, 2018, the biographical Guatemalan film, ''Dolores Bedoya: Una Mujer de Coraje,'' premiered in theatres across the country.
References
{{Authority control
1783 births
1853 deaths
People from Escuintla Department
19th-century Guatemalan people
Guatemalan women activists