Camila O'Gorman
Camila O'Gorman was born in Argentina in 1828 and was of Irish decent. She was one of six siblings. Scandal was not uncommon to her family. Before she was born, her grandmother had an affair, left her husband and was eventually exiled to Rio. Because of this, Camila?s father became a very strict, religious man who brought honor back to the family name.
In 1835, Argentina came under rule by Juan Manual de Rosas, a wealthy land owner that ruled as if he were king. He was a very controlling and ruthless dictator who had the heads of his enemies stuck on spikes and placed in the main square in Buenos Aires. In the unfolding story, he was also a hypocrite as his maid was his mistress with whom he conceived five children.
Camila met her lover, Father Uladislao Gutierrez, through her brother, who was also a priest and friend to Uladislao. He had come to Buenos Aires in 1846 on recommendation of his Uncle.
Camila and Uladislao fell in love, and because of restrictions by her father, religion, and Rosas, had to escape the oppressive environment in which they lived in order to be together. Rosas, upon hearing of their escape, ordered their arrest with the intent that Uladislao would be sent to prison and Camila would be sent to a convent. Politically, Rosas could not allow Camila to be pardoned hence making her a heroine to the people, which he believed would eventually lead to his downfall.
During their escape Camila and Uladislao took on several identities. The last names they used were Maximo Brandier and Valentina Desan. It is with these alias that they end up in Goya, province of Corrientes and set up the first school in town. Eventually, Rosas called off their search, believing that they have left the region and they felt somewhat relaxed. After Camila and Uladislao had taught for approximately six months, they were honored at a party of a distant relative of Camila. During the party, there identities were uncovered by one of the guests. The townspeople immediately turned on them, Rosas was alerted to their capture, and they were sent back
Camila was friends with Manuelita Rosas and Manuelita, on behalf of her friend asked her father to spare their lives. He refused and as a gesture of her friendship, purchased furniture for Camila?s jail cell.
An Irish lawman sealed the lover?s fate when he allowed her execution, although pregnant, which was against the criminal code which stated that a pregnant woman could not be executed until after she had given birth. Rosas, through religious mandate, ordered that the unborn child be baptized before birth. Camila was given holy water to drink and ashes were sprinkled over her head. Camila would not accept any wrong doing on her or her husband?s part, which infuriated Rosas. On August 18, 1848, at the age of 20, Camila and Uladislao were seated, blind folded and shot, ending their defiance to the oppression of Rosas.
Part B
I do not understand why I cannot be with the man that I love. We have hurt no one, yet I sit in my jail cell, without him, awaiting execution. My family has always supported Rosas and his daughter Manuelita and I grew up together. I am not a political enemy, yet somehow, my love for Uladislao has made me as much of a threat as anyone in the opposition. Rosas has convinced everyone that I have betrayed our people and that I must be executed. Even my own unborn child is considered a traitor and will not be allowed to live. No one is willing to challenge Rosas, not my father, not my church, and not my own kins people. The hypocrisy of it all. I am being punished for a moral crime that is committed by many, including Rosas himself who has a mistress with whom he has fathered five children. I hope that one day, the people will understand what it means to be free and to follow their hearts and will as I have. I regret nothing.
