Mirabal de Tavárez, Minerva (1927–1960)

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Mirabal de Tavárez, Minerva (1927–1960)

Dominican political activist and one of the Mirabal sisters. Name variations: Las Mariposas (The Butterflies). Born Minerva Mirabal, Mar 12, 1927; assassinated by command of the dictator of the Dominican Republic, Generalissimo Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina, Nov 25, 1960; dau. of Enrique Mirabal and Mercedes Mirabal; graduated with high honors from National Autonomous University of the Dominican Republic; had sisters Patria, María Teresa, and Dedé; married; children: Minou Tavárez Mirabal (became deputy foreign minister of the Dominican Republic).

At age 22, having turned down sexual overtures from Trujillo, was jailed and banned from continuing her law studies; joined the anti-Trujillo underground forces; having been involved with the failed revolt of June 1959, husband was arrested and imprisoned; along with sisters, was known within the underground Movimiento Revolucionario 14 de Junio (MR14J) by the code name of Mariposa (butterfly) and soon became known to agents of Trujillo's secret police; arrested, subjected to torture, and killed.

See also Julia Alvarez, In the Time of the Butterflies (1994); and Women in World History.