Elvia Carrillo Puerto

Mexican feminist and socialist who pioneered women's suffrage in Yucatán.

Elvia Carrillo Puerto (1878–1968), known as 'La Monja Roja del Mayab' (The Red Nun of Mayab), was a groundbreaking activist who challenged gender norms in post-revolutionary Mexico. She co-founded the Liga Feminista Rita Cetina Gutiérrez in 1919, advocating for voting rights and reproductive freedom.

In 1923, Elvia became one of Mexico's first female congresswomen after Yucatán granted women suffrage—a milestone preceding national suffrage by 30 years. She established mobile schools to educate rural women and fought against exploitative hacienda systems. Despite assassination attempts and exile, her campaigns laid groundwork for Mexico's 1953 constitutional reform.

Her legacy intersects indigenous rights and socialism. Discover her impact on Latin American feminism.