María Teresa Tula

María Teresa Tula (born 23 April 1951) is a Salvadoran political writer and activist associated with the group COMADRES. This group supports those who have been subjected to forced disappearance or political assassination in El Salvador.

Early life and education Tula was born in the village of Izalco, in the department of Sonsonate, El Salvador on 23 April 1951. At the age of one, her mother left her with her grandmother to move to San Ana with her older brother so that she could find greater opportunities in a bigger city. She was brought up by her grandmother up until the age of 13 when her grandmother died. While living with her grandmother, she attended school for less than two years at the Doctor Mario Calvo Marroquin School in Izalco. Tula and her grandmother eventually moved to San Salvador where she stopped attending school and instead sold bread in the market in San Carlos to help support her family Guevara began organizing against his employers because of the inadequate working conditions. At the time Guevara worked as a blacksmith and workers were not given proper equipment to work. This period allowed for many women to organize and create women organizations that would seek autonomy and define their goals in society. Some of her fellow activists were captured and killed, but COMADRES did not shy away from controversy and their workers visited dumps to photograph bodies so that families would know the fate of the "disappeared". Tula was given a specific warning of her own fate by an escaped prisoner of the government. Up to 1985 she toured Canada and Europe talking to feminists and others about the cause. She visited at least eight countries and during this journey she realised how the ideas of feminism could be used in her country. During the time she was captured by armed men, Tula was 7 months pregnant with no access to any nutrition or hydration. Her body is still scared to this day. She had returned to work for COMADRES and she was released after four months due to international pressure which highlighted her mistreatment. She applied for political asylum but this took seven years to achieve. The American government was supporting the government in El Salvador and although she had the personal support of dozens of senators she found herself accused of being a terrorist.