Biography: Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi | Heroine of the war of independence of Venezuela.

(Luisa Cáceres Díaz de Arismendi;) Caracas, 1779-1866) heroine of the war of independence of Venezuela. The final emancipation of Venezuela would not only ten years after its proclamation of July 5, 1811; the years that followed to this date can be easily classified as the barbarism by cruelty and cruelty with which the Spaniards tried at all costs to retain the colony.

Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi

In particular, 1814 was a difficult year for the nascent Republic; the forces under the command of Simón Bolívar undertook the withdrawal of Caracas after the brutal outbreak of José Tomás Boves. The events of that year would definitely mark the life of the young Louise: in March 1814 his father, Domingo Cáceres, died at the hands of the troops of Francisco Rosete realistic round to Ocumare lining; his brother Felix, who was part of an unsuccessful expedition that aimed to recover the garrison, was captured and executed ten days later.

These events triggered a major exodus from Caracas, many of whom fled in the so-called emigration to East. The young Louise, accompanied by his family, was part of that human contingent. The crossing had as its final destination Margarita Island; However, not all ran the same fate: the number of deaths was considerable and the less fortunate survivors had to remain on the Mainland.

Family Cáceres, reduced to Luisa, her mother and one younger brother because of the deaths of three of her aunts during the journey, achieved in August 1814 pass to the island, where the general Juan Bautista Arismendi, prominent Patriot leader, would provide them protection and maintenance. Amid fears, refuges and threats, Luisa Cáceres and Juan Bautista Arismendi were married on December 4, 1814.

The following year the troops of general Pablo Morillo landed in Margarita Island, which was submitted again to the Spanish domain. Juan Bautista Arismendi managed to escape, but Luisa Cáceres was arrested by the Spanish authorities with the purpose of pressuring her husband Arismendi, who developed a fierce campaign against the Spanish forces.

The Governor of Margarita Island, the Spanish Joaquín Urreiztieta, did not get anything from her or from her husband, so Luisa remained at the prison in the fortress of Santa Rosa (where he had a girl who died in childbirth) until it was transferred to the fortress of Pampatar, from there to La Guaira and finally, after the triumphs of Arismendi and José Antonio Páez in Apure , to Spain (1816), where also was the victim of pressure so it renege from its Republican ideas.

Luisa Cáceres Díaz de Arismendi, however, never abandoned his pro-independence ideals. Once released, he returned to Venezuela in 1818, being received with honors from heroin, and he continued to support the ideas of freedom and sovereignty of the American people. He lived in Caracas until his death. In recognition of his struggle for the independence of Venezuela, his remains were buried in the Panteón Nacional in 1876.

Extracted from the website: Biografías y Vidas