Victoria Vásconez Cuvi (Latacunga, September 7, 1891 – Quito, May 29, 1939) was an Ecuadorian writer and feminist. She was part of a literary circle that included Zoila Ugarte de Landívar and Morayma Ofyr Carvajal. Vásconez Cuvi was an influential figure in her time, having served as a member of various organizations such as the Bolivarian Society and the International Commission of the Second Pan American Congress. Her works include “Ensayos Literarios,” “Problemas Educativos,” “Vida de Mariana de Jesús,” and “Actividades Sociales y Domésticas de la Mujer.” A school in Latacunga, Unidad Educativa Victoria Vasconez Cuvi, bears her name.
Family
Victoria Vásconez Cuvi was born into a family of eight children. Her parents, Dr. Pablo Alberto Vásconez Velasco and Josefa Cuvi Vásconez, married in 1890 with a dispensation due to being second cousins. The Vásconez Cuvi family owned extensive properties in the north-central region of Ecuador and had access to a rich cultural heritage, which gave them a socially and economically privileged position.
Feminism
Victoria Vásconez Cuvi was a feminist writer who lived in Ecuador in the early 20th century. She rejected the standardization of women’s sexuality that occurred during that time, and instead chose to live as an intellectual, never expressing any interest in marriage or motherhood. In 1922, she began her public life as a writer and intellectual, speaking at conferences and publishing her first volume, “Ensayos Literarios.” Vásconez Cuvi defended the emancipation of women from economic and intellectual dependence and believed that work was an important part of achieving independence. She presented her views on feminism and the liberation of women at the Second Pan-American Women’s Conference in Lima in 1925. In her lifetime, Vásconez Cuvi became a prominent figure in feminist movements, and her writing expressed a unique perspective on contemporary society and the role of women in it.
Death
In 1938, Victoria Vásconez Cuvi was diagnosed with cancer. Despite a period of apparent recovery, she passed away in Quito on May 29, 1939, at the age of 47. She was buried in the Church of San Francisco, next to her mother’s tomb.