Margarita Ortega (magonist)

Margarita Ortega
Personal details
Born	Margarita Ortega Valdés 1871 (1871) Sonora, Mexico
Died	24 November 1913(1913-11-24) (aged 41–42) Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
Cause of death	Execution by firing squad
Political party	Mexican Liberal Party
Spouse	Pascual Gortari
Children	Irineo, Andrés and Rosaura Gortari
Military service
Branch/service	Liberal Army Confederation [es]
Years of service	1910–1913
Battles/wars	Magonista rebellion of 1911 Capture of Mexicali

Margarita Ortega Valdés (1871 – 24 November 1913) was a Mexican anarchist revolutionary. Born into a wealthy family, she joined the Mexican Liberal Party (PLM) and participated in the Magonista rebellion of 1911. Together with her daughter, Rosaura Gortari, she took part in the capture of Mexicali from the Porfiriato, running supplies for the Magonista rebels. When the city was taken by the forces of Francisco I. Madero, she was exiled from Mexico to Arizona, where her daughter died. She then returned to Mexico in order to fight against Victoriano Huerta, but was captured, tortured and executed by firing squad.

After her death, Ortega was eulogised by PLM leader Ricardo Flores Magón as an exemplary revolutionary woman, changing the attitudes of the party leadership towards women's participation in the Mexican Revolution.