Mercedes Pinto

Feminist journalist, writer, poet, and orator born and raised in an affluent and highly educated family. Her mother was Ana María de Armas Clós, and her father was Francisco María Pinto de la Rosa, a writer and literary critic. She started writing poetry as a child, and by age 14 had become locally prominent. In 1909 she married Navy Captain Juan de Foronda Cubillas and the union produced three children. Miss Pinto had to assume the role of head of household when her husband developed a mental disorder and she was forced to place him in an institution. In the early 1920s she moved with her family to Madrid intending to find a place in the literary community. Soon her first book of poems, Brisas del Teide, was published to great sales and critical acclaim. She wrote articles on the rights of women and other social issues for various newspapers and magazines. In addition to her literary endeavors she also became a much in demand public speaker. In 1924, Miss Pinto held a conference at the Central University of Madrid under the title "El divorcio como medida higiénica" (Divorce as a hygienic measure), which caused quite a stir in the very catholic Spanish society of the time. Soon she was at odds with then dictator Primo de Rivera, and was forced to seek asylum in Uruguay with her family. They were all well received in that South American country where Mercedes had quite a reputation as a writer and social activist. She received ample support from the Uruguayan government including a post as the first female orator of the Cabinet. Among her many accomplishments, she founded Casa del Estudiante (House of the Student) aiming to make culture available to the underprivileged. In 1926 she wrote her first novel "'Él" (He) which in 1952 was the basis for a Mexican film directed by Luis Buñuel. Mercedes became interested in theater, and wrote several stage plays that were so successful she formed the Compañía Teatral de Arte Moderno (Theatrical Company of Modern Art), where she held the positions of artistic director and literary consultant. The success of this theatrical adventure took her on a long tour to Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. Combining the staging of her plays with conferences held at universities and colleges, Miss Pinto's fame spread through the whole continent. She decided to leave Uruguay and in 1933 moved to Chile, where she wrote and published her second novel "Ella" (She) and continued with her activities on behalf of education and the advancement of women. In 1935 she was offered a government position in Cuba as "Educator of Public Speakers" (Educadora de Oradores) and she promptly accepted. She moved to the island and stayed there for almost a decade. During this residence she launched an intense campaign on behalf of women, youth, and displaced Jews fleeing the Nazi barbarism in Europe. In 1943 Mercedes moved to Mexico where her sons Rubén and Gustavo Rojo, as well as Mercedes, (now known as Pituka de Foronda) were making their way in Mexican cinematography. She would remain in Mexico for the rest of her life except for short visits to Spain, her homeland. Associated now with the film industry thanks to her offspring, she appeared herself in two Spanish films, "Días de viejo color" (1968) and "El coleccionista de cadáveres" (1970) billed as "Mercedes Rojo". Unstoppable during her Mexican years, Mercedes kept writing and giving conferences in favor of women, the rights of the working class, and the modernization of education. Her articles were published regularly in the prestigious Excelsior newspaper and were a source of inspiration to its readers. She worked to the very end of her life which came on October of 1976 at age 93. Children of her marriage to Juan de Foronda Cubillas, Juan Francisco (died of an incurable illness at age 15 in Lisbon), Ana María, and Mercedes who became an actress as "Pituka de Foronda" Children of her marriage to Rubén Rojo, Rubén and Gustavo, both professional actors as Rubén Rojo and Gustavo Rojo.