Policarpa Salavarrieta was a spy and revolutionary who was vital in the independence of Columbia from the Spanish Crown. She has become an important heroine in Columbian history. During the early 1800s many Spanish colonies in South America sought their independence. Many sought to act during this period because of Napoleon’s invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. They saw the political instability occurring in Europe and believed this was the best time to strike. Salavarrieta joined the cause and believed in a Colombia free from Spanish control. Not much is known about her early life, other than her family was decimated by a smallpox outbreak, and they were relatively well off, and she chose to stay in her childhood home of Guaduas while her siblings moved elsewhere. As she grew older, Salavarrieta became a seamstress. She received good business in the area due to its status as a reliable stop for travelers coming from Bogota. Eventually, Salavarrieta became involved in the revolution and acted as a spy for them. She would take jobs mending the clothing of royalists and their families in Bogota. While working, Salavarrieta would eavesdrop and relay the information to her comrades. She would overhear information regarding supply lines, troop movements, and the locations of officers. She developed a reputation as a prominent revolutionary in Guaduas but was still relatively unknown in Bogota. She led a successful spy campaign in the city before her capture. She was undone once other spies in the city were captured by royalist forces. The Almeyda brothers, while carrying information on revolutionary spies, were captured and the evidence directly implicated Salavarrieta as a spy. She was apprehended by Spanish forces and sentenced to execution. At her trial, Salavarrieta never abandoned her beliefs and was defiant to the end. She professed her faith in Colombian independence and her resolve never wavered. Salavarrieta left a powerful cultural legacy as a revolutionary heroine in Colombian history. She is honored by the Day of the Colombian Women, has appeared on numerous notes on Colombian currency, and is a popular figure in media. Policarpa Salavarrieta is a fantastically inspiring figure of a strong Colombian woman fighting for independence and her legacy shows that.

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