PEDRO DOMINGO MURILLO

Pedro Domingo Murillo was born on September 17, 1757 in Bolivia, La Paz. He
belonged to an elite of the peace family. His parents were: Juan Ciriaco Murillo, a
seminarian who, shortly after his birth, was ordained a priest and his mother, a Creole
named María Ascencia Carrasco. He was educated by his father and may have
attended the Seminary School of San Carlos, in La Paz. Then, he continues his law
studies at the San Francisco Xavier University in La Plata (Chuquisaca); Although it
seems that he did not finish his studies. In 1778 he married in the city of Potosí with
Manuela de la Concha Olmedo, he led a group of rebels who conspired to rebellion on
January 29, 1809. And died in 1810 after being hanged along with his other
compatriots.

He had the occupation of being a lawyer and a politician, for this he had falsified his
lawyer's degree, when later he was practicing his profession in La Paz, he was
denounced and declared a rebel. He had to escape from the authorities. At the
beginning of 1789 he was pardoned and after that, Pedro Domingo Murillo was
dedicated to mining activity.In 1805 he was part of a group that would conspire against
the Spanish government, but was discovered and brought to trial. He was acquitted in
this trial, and, then, along with other patriots, he began to prepare the revolution with
more enthusiasm, but in secret, in favor of Independence.

Every 16th of July, the people of La Paz remember the struggle of the year 1809. The
departmental celebration begins when the various national and local authorities light
the so-called Tea of Liberty that is in the house of this martyr, with the famous phrase:
My countrymen, I die, but the torch I leave burning can not be extinguished, long live
freedom!