Margarita Ortega (magonist)

Margarita Ortega Valdés (Sonora, 1871 - Mexicali, 23 November 1913) was a Mexican weapons expert, crack shot, nurse, courier, spy, and the best-known magonist woman soldier. Ortega was born into a wealthy Sonoran family, headed by Dolores Valdés and Pablo Ortega. They moved to Baja California in 1891, where the following year, in Tecate, Ortega married Pascual Gortar. The couple had a daughter, Rosaura Gortari Ortega, before Pascual died. While Rosaura was still an infant, Ortega married again, to Manuel Demara, son of Antonio Demara of Tecate. In 1911, Ortega became member of the Mexican Liberal Party in Baja California, participating in the armed revolt against Porfirio Díaz. In 1913, the Mexican militia captured, tortured and killed Ortega.