The Sociedad Popular Restauradora (Spanish: Popular Restorer Society) was an Argentine security agency that worked in behalf of Juan Manuel de Rosas. It is known by its armed force, known as the Mazorca.
It was created by Encarnación Ezcurra, wife of Rosas, during the Revolution of the Restorers, and disbanded by Rosas in 1846. It was focused in locating people (mostly Unitarians, but also opposing Federals) involved in conspiracies against Rosas. Modern historical investigations that set apart the executions performed by the Mazorca and deaths generated during wartime or military-related executions number those deaths in nearly 20 during 1840 and other 20 during 1842.[1]
The name "Mazorca" refers in Spanish to a cob of Maize. Interpretations on it range between an identification with the countryside to an alleged word gaming with『Más Horca』("More Gallows", both terms have similar sounding in Spanish). However, the most likely reason for it was a technique of torture of the Mazorca, consisting in introducing an ear of maize inside the victim's anus.
