JUANA M. GORRITI.

Born in Orcones (sometimes spelled Horcones) on June 15, 1819, died in Buenos Aires on November 6, 1892. By the time of her birth her Province of Salta in the North West of Argentina was fighting the end of independence war. San Martín has won in Chile and was prepairing his expedition to Perú, which two years later would cut definetly Spanish pressure over Salta. Yet the country would not enjoy peace, Portugal and later Brasil attacked the east border. But even worst would be the long civil war in which independence would turn into.

She was daughter of General José Antonio Gorriti, who served in the army of Martín Güemes. This army defended the northwestern border against Peruvian Viceroy´s army, Spanish army was well equiped and had beated repeatedly Argentine troops, so Güemes avoided frontal clashes fighting and escaping.

Her uncle presbyter Juan Ignacio Gorriti was deputy for Salta in the Congress of Tucumán and signed Independence Act in 1816. He was also governor of the province of Salta.

Fate turned quickly, by 1830 her family had to escape persecuted by the people loyal to the Governor of Buenos Aires Juan Manuel de Rosas. She went to Bolivia together with her eight brothers, they lived in poverty with her mother.

Being 14 years old she married Isidoro Belzú, man of deranged life. She divorced and took care of their children. After their divorce her former husband became President of Bolivia. Notwithstanding ber divorce she had enough power to obtain a modest pension for Juana Azurduy who had fighted along with Güemes when exiled in Salta.

Isidoro Belzú was killed by a relative. She moved to Lima were she formed a literary workshop. She founded a school for girls which let her earn her living.

After the fall of Rosas she moved to Buenos Aires where she lived until her death. Here she wrote many of her works.

In 1890 Argentina had its first big depression, the Banco de la Provincia de Buenos Aires went bankrupt and many others followed. Little before she pointed at speculative devotion: The lawyer close his office, the journalist leave his table, the writer throw his pen, everything is abandoned when it comes the time of the Stock Exchange