Leonor Ordóñez - Wikiwand

Peruvian guerrilla fighter (1837–1882)

Born1837 (1837)

Huancaní, Peru

Died22 April 1882(1882-04-22) (aged 44–45)

Lima campaign
- Battle of San Juan and Chorrillos
Breña campaign
- Battle of Huaripampa †

SpouseFelipe Vilcahuamán

Leonor Ordóñez
Born	1837 (1837) Huancaní, Peru
Died	22 April 1882(1882-04-22) (aged 44–45)
Conflicts	War of the Pacific Lima campaign Battle of San Juan and Chorrillos Breña campaign Battle of Huaripampa †
Spouse	Felipe Vilcahuamán

Leonor Ordóñez Surichaqui de Vilcahuamán (1837 – 22 April 1882) was a Peruvian guerrilla fighter, partisan and heroine, who fought in the War of the Pacific, a territorial conflict between allied Bolivia and Peru against Chile (1879–1884).

Ordóñez was born in 1837 in Huancaní, Peru.^[1] Her parents were José Ordóñez and Dolores Surichaqui.^[2]

During the Battle of San Juan and Chorrillos, in the defence of Lima, on 13 January 1881, Ordóñez served as rabona [es] (a term for women who accompanied infantry soldiers on military marches) for her husband Felipe Vilcahuamán.^[1]^[2]^[3] He died after being shot then hacked to death with a machete. She closed his eyes on the battlefield and dug his grave.^[3]

After her husband's death, Ordóñez travelled to the Mantaro Valley, where General Andrés Avelino Cáceres' resistance was in operation.^[3]^[4] She led a group of 41 guerrilla fighters (36 men and 5 women)^[2] to join the movement led by Father Buenaventura Mendoza and fought at the Battle of Huaripampa [es] on 22 April 1882.^[1] She was captured during the battle, but shouted to continue the fight, and was shot by Chilean troops.^[1]^[5]

Most of the details of Ordóñez's life are derived from the oral tradition.^[1]

Legacy

In her memory, Ordóñez's home district in the Jauja province was renamed the Leonor Ordóñez District. A statue in her honour is located in the main square in the district.^[1]

In 1988, Ordóñez's remains were reinterred in the Cripta de los Héroes (Crypt of Heroes) in the Cementerio Presbítero Matías Maestro in Lima. Along with Antonia Moreno Leyva, Ordóñez is the only woman buried in the crypt.^{[citation needed]}

In 2018, Ordóñez was portrayed in the short film Rabonas, las mujeres de la guerra [es], directed by Hamilton Segura.^[6]^[7]

In 2025, an event was held in Plaza Bolívar, Lima, by politician Ilich López in tribute to Ordóñez.^[8]

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 Cothran, Boyd; Judge, Joan; Shubert, Adrian (20 February 2020). Women Warriors and National Heroes: Global Histories. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-350-12115-7.
1 2 3 Los Héroes de la Breña (in Spanish). Comisión Permanente de la Historia del Ejército del Perú. 1982. pp. 219–221.
1 2 3 Gaviola, Gastón (8 March 2016). "Señoras de armas tomar". Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 October 2025.
↑ La Resistencia de la Breña: La contraofensiva de 1822, 23 feb. 1882-5 may. 1883 (in Spanish). Ministerio de Guerra, Comisión Permanente de la Historia del Ejército del Perú. 1982.
↑ "LIDERESAS ANDINAS REDOBLARÁN ESFUERZOS POR IGUALDAD PLENA ENTRE HOMBRES Y MUJERES". pj.gob.pe (in Spanish). 28 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
↑ "Estrenan cortometraje Rabonas, las mujeres de la guerra". La República (in Spanish). 14 May 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
↑ "PELÍCULA «RABONAS, LAS MUJERES DE LA GUERRA» SE ESTRENARÁ EN TARMA MAÑANA SÁBADO 8 DE SETIEMBRE". Radio Tarma (in Spanish). 7 September 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
↑ "Tercer vicepresidente del Congreso rindió homenaje a heroína Leonor Ordóñez". Comunicaciones (in Spanish). 25 September 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.

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