María Epul, the machi of Cerro Negro

This comic tells the story of María Epul, the machi of Cerro Negro who was summoned by Perón to try to cure Evita.

October 9, 2025

Moira Millán

Capella Flower

Edited by: Ana Fornaro, María Eugenia Ludueña

Maria Epul was born around 1880 and lived her entire life in Cerro Negro, Puelwillimapu, on the Patagonian plateau, Chubut province.

Her healing powers carried her name to various corners of Puelmapu. She was well known for her accurate diagnoses and treatments, which helped alleviate and heal ailments. Sick people traveled from far and wide to visit her.

Doña Juana Sosa Toledo, who was also Mapuche and the mother of Juan Domingo Peron, used to visit her to ask about her health and also about that of her son.

The machi of Cerro Negro—as she was known—read patients' urine by sunlight. She didn't speak Spanish, only Mapudungun . Her nephew acted as her interpreter. At first, she practiced medicine in a small adobe house. Over time, she built another space to accommodate patients requiring longer treatments. People paid her with spices, animals, or other goods. She received no support from any government.

In 1952, when Juan Domingo Perón saw that the doctors were giving up on his wife Eva's illness, he accepted his mother's advice and asked the machi (Mapuche healer) Maria Epul to cure her. It is said that the glass jar containing Eva's urine arrived in Cerro Negro by helicopter, carried by Army personnel. Machi Maria Epul was unable to cure Evita. And she sent word to Perón: her request had come too late.

After Evita's death, the home of the machi Maria Epul was raided. She was arrested and accused of practicing medicine without a license. This sparked a riot among the local population, with large numbers of people demanding her release. Juan Domingo Perón was forced to request her immediate freedom.

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