Micaela Bastidas Puyucahua

A revolutionary leader who fought against Spanish colonial rule in Peru, advocating for indigenous rights and social justice.

Micaela Bastidas Puyucahua (1742–1781) was a Quechua woman and wife of Tupac Amaru II, co-leader of the largest indigenous rebellion against Spanish rule in South America. Born in Cusco, she joined her husband’s uprising in 1780, demanding the abolition of mita labor and religious oppression. Her strategic insights and leadership were pivotal in mobilizing thousands of Andean communities.

Bastidas was captured and executed alongside Tupac Amaru II in 1781, but her legacy endured as a symbol of resistance. Modern Peruvian feminists and indigenous rights activists revere her as a precursor to contemporary struggles. Explore her story via Wikipedia or this historical analysis.