Helena Rodríguez de García, the legendary pioneer who in 1963 defied convention to found Elena del Mar, is now living her most painful battle at the age of 91. The woman who built one of Colombia’s most recognized beauty brands and survived devastating personal tragedies is now reportedly trapped in a situation of alleged physical abuse at the hands of her only surviving daughter, María Teresa García Rodríguez.

A Life Marked by Resilience

Doña Helena’s story is one of survival. Less than a decade ago, at the age of 82, she was the victim of an attack in which she was shot four times at her farm in Puerto Viejo, Tolú. Years later, on December 28, 2022, she experienced another horror firsthand when she witnessed the murder of her daughter, María Mercedes García Rodríguez, who died in her arms after an armed attack.

However, after surviving external violence, Helena’s vulnerability appears to have grown within the walls of her own home. According to intelligence records, the matriarch is currently in a state of “reduced consciousness” and has documented physical injuries that do not match her everyday activities.

Under the Control of Ambition

The current management of her surroundings and assets is reportedly in the hands of her daughter, María Teresa García Rodríguez. Due to the seriousness of the findings, María Teresa is facing formal proceedings before the Second Family Commissioner’s Office of Usaquén and Prosecutor’s Office 380 for Domestic Violence.

As a result of these actions, immediate protection measures have been issued in an order from the Commissioner’s Office, instructing the accused to:

• Refrain from committing any physical, psychological, or verbal aggression against Mrs. Helena Rodríguez de García.
• Refrain from causing disturbances or any harm at the victim’s residence, workplace, or any public or private place where she may be present.
• Allow police authorities to provide protection and special support to the victim in order to prevent further acts of aggression by María Teresa García Rodríguez.

The investigation suggests that behind the alleged abuse there may be a strictly financial motive. While the flagship company Elena del Mar reportedly declines under María Teresa’s management, alarming legal maneuvers have emerged: María Teresa has allegedly been accused of pressuring her mother into signing official documents in an apparent attempt to secure full control of a vast fortune that includes cattle ranches, farms, and multiple properties.

An Urgent Call for Justice

Experts in gerontology warn that Doña Helena’s state of extreme drowsiness and bruising are clear signs of what is known as “learned helplessness syndrome,” in which a victim gives in to their aggressor out of fear.

Despite the judicial orders already issued, there is a deep concern that institutional silence from the Commissioner’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office may allow this case to be forgotten. The voice of a woman who helped build a nation should not be silenced without having the right to be defended against those who, driven by greed, now control her present and her silence.