Prudencia Ayala

Prudencia Ayala was an Indigenous writer and early feminist known for her innovative ideas. Despite being a young single mother, she embarked on a career in journalism, using her platform to criticize the Salvadoran establishment. Her outspokenness led to her imprisonment. Ayala was a strong advocate for Central American unionism, opposing U.S. intervention in the region. She was a vocal supporter of women's rights and encouraged their increased participation in public affairs. In 1931, she made history by becoming the first woman in Latin America to run for the presidency, although her bid was ultimately blocked by the Supreme Court. Her campaign preceded women's suffrage in El Salvador by two decades. Sadly, Ayala's death in 1936 remains shrouded in uncertainty. For many years, she was ignored or omitted from history books, but feminist movements in El Salvador and beyond have recently reclaimed her as a symbol of freedom, justice, and endurance.