Africa de las Heras 2019 stamp of Russia

África de las Heras Gavilán (

Ceuta Ceuta (, , ; ar, سَبْتَة, Sabtah) is a Spanish autonomous city on the north coast of Africa. Bordered by Morocco, it lies along the boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of several Spanish territorie ...

, Spain, 26 April 1909 –

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...

, Russia, 8 March 1988) was a Spanish-born communist, naturalized Soviet citizen, and a secret service agent who went by the code name "Patria", but also used the names "María Luisa de las Heras de Darbat","María de la Sierra","Patricia", "Ivonne", "María de las Heras", "Znoi" and "María Pavlovna". Originally a member of the

Communist Party of Spain The Communist Party of Spain ( es, Partido Comunista de España; PCE) is a Marxist-Leninist party that, since 1986, has been part of the United Left coalition, which is part of Unidas Podemos. It currently has two of its politicians serving a ...

, de las Heras participated in various Soviet intelligence operations both during and after the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, link ...

. Though she had been exhibited by

Pavel Sudoplatov Pavel Anatolyevich Sudoplatov (russian: Пáвел Aнатóльевич Cудоплáтов; ua, Павло Анатолійович Судоплатов, translit=Pavlo Anatoliiovych Sudoplatov; July 7, 1907 – September 24, 1996) was a member ...

as the secretary of Trotsky in Norway and in Mexico, the number of assassination teams to kill Trotsky that were assisted by de las Heras, was never known. Later she stopped her own direct actions and their support and trained other KGB agents in Moscow.

References

1909 births 1988 deaths Spanish communists People from Ceuta Spanish people of the Spanish Civil War (Republican faction) KGB officers Exiles of the Spanish Civil War in the Soviet Union Spanish women Spanish spies Women spies Spanish women of the Spanish Civil War (Republican faction) Women in the Spanish Civil War Female wartime spies {{SpanishCivilWar-stub