Bernarda Montejo

"You are special. Your vocation as a priest will save my soul. I put all my hope in you and I know your prayers will get me directly into Heaven."

- Bernarda to Juan Pablo, her son. Bernarda Montejo de Iturbide is the main antagonist of the Mexican telenovela Triumph of Love (Triunfo del amor in Spanish), a remake of El privilegio de amar.

Despite her desire to free her soul from sin, Bernarda continues to harm many people without showing remorse. She not only seeks salvation, but also revenge on the woman who, in her own view, seduced her son.

She was portrayed by Daniela Romo.

Past
Upon learning the truth about the man who got her pregnant, Bernarda Montejo sets fire to his home. Unknown to her, not everyone in the family dies. Unlike his parents, Fausto remains alive, but disfigured. Shortly after the incident, she meets Octovio Iturbide whom she marries despite him knowing fully well that the child she carries is not his.

The time passes, and Juan Pablo grows into a young man, ready to go to a seminary in Monterrey as a result of his mother's wishes. When the girl he spent the night with becomes pregnant, Bernarda throws the maid out in the street, uninterested in Victoria or Juan Pablo's feelings regarding each other. Meanwhile, Octavio is determined to let his son know about the child Victoria is expecting. As a consequence, Bernarda poisons her husband's drink, not wanting Juan Pablo to give up on his studies to become a priest. She makes an attempt on her granddaughter's life some time after 1990, whom she considers to be the fruit of sin.

Series
Her hate towards Victoria Gutiérrez de Sandoval doesn't decrease after 20 years, when the main action happens. Having a common enemy, Bernarda de Iturbide alies with Rodolfo Padilla and Guillermo Quintana.

Personality
Bernarda Montejo de Iturbide is a woman who, despite her desire to save her soul, goes on with her evil deeds. Preferring to take the matters in her own hands, she is willing to do anything in order to punish those whom she considers to be sinners, even kidnapping and burning people (in spite of her fear of fire developed as a result of killing the man who got her pregnant and his wife). She also seems to enjoy tormenting Victoria by refusing to tell her the identity of the daughter she had with her son.

Despite her claims, Bernarda doesn't seem to love her son as his own person, Juan Pablo being nothing but a way for her to erase the sins she commited in her youth. Although she seeks salvation, Bernarda isn't willing to pay for her mistakes. She's delusional and, despite de fact that she is excommunicated at one point in life, she never stops believing she's doing God's work.

Trivia

 * Bernarda is the character who commits the most murders during the series.