Rogelia Cruz Martinez, who was selected as Miss Guatemala at the age of 19, is found lifeless on the street in the middle of the night in 1968. There are signs of beating and torture all over her body.
'Miss Guatemala' Rogelia Cruz Martinez is an architecture student at the University of San Carlos de Guatemala. She was selected first in the contest she participated in with the encouragement of her friends, and she represented her country in the "Misses of the Universe" contest. But she is also a member of the youth organization Juventud Patriotico del Trabajo of the Guatemalan Workers Party (PGT).
Rogelia Cruz Martinez, who was selected as Miss Guatemala at the age of 19, is found lifeless on the street in the middle of the night in 1968. There are signs of beating and torture all over her body. The autopsy report also reveals gruesome details such as cigarette burns and sexual assault. The background, which the autopsy did not show, will be illuminated a few weeks later by the murder of US military attachés by communist guerrillas…
Rogelia Cruz Martínez (31 August 1941 – 11 January 1968) was a Guatemalan beauty queen and left-wing political activist. After she won the 1958 Miss Guatemala title, she joined the Guatemalan Party of Labour and became romantically involved with its leader, Leonardo Castillo Johnson. She was ultimately kidnapped and murdered for her association with the party and Johnson.
The Central American country of Guatemala witnessed one of the fiercest guerrilla wars in Latin America. The army revolts, which were born with the historical ties of the oligarchy in the country with the USA, turned into a guerrilla movement in a short time. Some of these movements even became the first organizations in Latin America to make their program openly socialist. However, during the years of guerrilla struggle with ups and downs, thousands of people were massacred by the state and CIA-backed anti-communist Mano Blanco gangs. These figures include villagers, natives, in short, those who are only suspected of being 'sympathetic'.
However, the guerrilla movement in the country made its impact felt for a long time, and even this was one of the first centers where the wind of the Cuban Revolution gained momentum. Although they had different ideological and political methods of struggle, the communists fought with the Insurgent Armed Forces (FAR) against General Miguel Ydigoras Fuentes's administration and US-backed forces. The fact that the slogan 'We Will Definitely Win' was heard from jungles like Guatemala in those days seems to tell us a little about how victory in the war is one step away.
'Helping Guerrilla' Arrest
Cruz, who was chosen as 'Miss Guatemala' during such days, is an architecture student at the University of San Carlos de Guatemala. Cruz, who participated in the beauty contest with the encouragement of her friends and was selected first, also represented her country in the "Misses of the Universe" contest in Long Beach, California. But more importantly, she is a member of the youth organization Juventud Patriotico del Trabajo of the Guatemalan Workers Party (PGT). She takes part in school, demonstrations, and street party work. In 1965, the house where she lived with her siblings was raided by the soldiers. Because of the weapons found in the house, she was accused of "aiding weapons to the guerrillas" and was arrested.
After a short prison time, she continues her activities at the party. Its task is to ensure the communication of the guerrillas with the city, and often even to bring them back and forth. However, in 1967, she had a traffic accident with the guerrilla next to him. Her comrade dies, and she escapes wounded. But when the police realize who she is, they kidnap her. A witness to the tortures is leaking information to the communists. Witnessing torture and sexual assault, this agent gives Cruz a cyanide pill to relieve her pain. After her death, the cops throw her body off a bridge.
The news of the terrible tortures inflicted on him also reaches the guerrillas. The FAR organizes a massive retaliation for their comrades murdered by Mano Blanca and kills the US military attaché, Colonel John Webber, along with her naval attaché. Today, Cruz is one of the important symbols of the women's struggle in Guatemala. Her name is kept alive by a women's organization. She is also featured on the walls of her university with the words "Woman: A rifle is missing in our fight".