Manuela Gandarillas

Manuela Eras de Gandarillas (c. 1740s – 27 May 1812) is one of the Heroinas de la Coronilla. She was a blind old woman, who was very brave as she had the courage to fight for her nation's independence (cerro San Sebastian-Coronilla-close to Cochamba, Bolivia) on 27 May 1812.

Manuela found out that the Spanish soldiers, commanded by José Manuel de Goyeneche, were coming to attack Cochabamba. As there were no men, even though she was an old blind woman, mother of two men, two women and grandmother of a small girl, she was determined to die for her motherland. "Nuestra casa es divina", which means our homes are sacred in Spanish. She encouraged the other women to join her and stop the Spanish soldiers. Housewives that had children risked their lives for freedom.

There is now a statue to represent these 300 Bolivian women in the Colina de San Sebastián, Bolivia and also every 27 May Bolivia celebrates Mothers day (in Spanish, dia de la madre boliviana)