María de la Soledad Leona Camila Vicario

Fernández de San Salvador, known as

Leona Vicario (Mexico City, April 10, 1789-
August 21, 1842), was one of the most
prominent figures of the Independence of
Mexico, during which He was part of the
insurgents playing the role of a spy,
warning of the situations that occurred in
the capital of the viceroyalty.
She was a journalist, a brilliant intellectual,
a social activist and a notable heroine of
the Independence of Mexico, her fight
made a difference for the history of
Mexico, her participation was fundamental
for the consolidation of the Mexican
nation. Daughter of the Spanish merchant
Gaspar Martín Vicario and the Creole
Camila Fernández de San Salvador y
Montiel[1]. Descendant of Ixtlilxóchitl II,
ruler of Texcoco.
Leona Vicario received an exemplary
education, something unusual in an
unequal society, and macho like that of the
late eighteenth century because: “some
men considered women incapable of
learning and for others the education of
women was unnecessary, if not dangerous
”. Despite this, her parents were one of the
few people in New Spain who cared about
giving their daughter an excellent
education. Thanks to the family position
and the assets inherited from her parents,
Leona Vicario studied Fine Arts and
Sciences, learned French, some English,
music and painting. Through her studies
and her readings, Leona Vicario developed
an enormous critical sense towards the
world and years later she began to practice
journalism.