Intentona de Yauco

Intentona de Yauco
Municipality of Yauco highlghted in red. During the Intentona de Yauco the current Puerto Rican Flag was flown for the first time in Puerto Rico

The Intentona de Yauco a.k.a. the "Attempted Coup of Yauco" of 1897, was the second and last major revolt against Spanish colonial rule in Puerto Rico, staged by Puerto Rico's pro-independence movement.

The first major revolt against Spanish rule in the island was in 1868 and is known as El Grito de Lares. After the failure of the short lived rebellion many of the local leaders and participants were arrested and some were executed. Those who survived their prison terms were later released and some went into exile. Shortly after the revolt Spain gave the island many liberal reforms. It extended to Puerto Rico some of the liberal constitution that it had allowed its previous colonies in South America. Puerto Rico received provincial status and Spanish Citizenship was granted to the criollos. Some political reforms granted were allowing Puerto Ricans to participate in special elections and to organize themselves into officially recognized political parties. During the years that followed there were minor protests against Spanish rule in various towns of the island which were quickly subdued by the Spanish authorities.

Leaders of "El Grito de Lares", who were in exile in New York City, joined the Puerto Rican Revolutionary Committee, founded on December 8, 1895, and continued their quest for Puerto Rican independence. In 1897, with the aid of the local leaders of the independence movement of the town of Yauco, they organized another uprising, which became known as the "Intentona de Yauco". The local conservative political factions, which believed that such an attempt would be a threat to their struggle for autonomy, opposed such an action. Rumors of the planned event spread to the local Spanish authorities who acted swiftly and put an end to what would be the last major uprising in the island to Spanish colonial rule.

Prelude

On September 23, 1868, the first major uprising against Spanish colonial rule in Puerto Rico occurred in the town of Lares

Lares, Puerto Rico

Lares is a small mountain municipality of Puerto Rico's central-western area located north of Maricao and Yauco; south of Camuy, east of San Sebastián and Las Marias; and west of Hatillo, Utuado and Adjuntas. Lares is spread over 10 wards and Lares Pueblo...

. The uprising, which was planned by Puerto Rican patriots, Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances

Ramón Emeterio Betances

Ramón Emeterio Betances y Alacán was a Puerto Rican nationalist. He was the primary instigator of the Grito de Lares revolution, and as such, is considered to be the father of the Puerto Rican independence movement...

and Segundo Ruiz Belvis

Segundo Ruiz Belvis

Segundo Ruiz Belvis , was a dedicated abolitionist who also fought for Puerto Rico's right to independence.-Early years:...

, was carried out by several revolutionary cells in the island led by Manuel Rojas

Manuel Rojas

Commander Manuel Rojas , Commander of the Puerto Rican Liberation Army, was one of the main leaders of the Grito de Lares uprising against Spanish rule in Puerto Rico.-Early years:...

, Mathias Brugman

Mathias Brugman

Mathias Brugman , a.k.a. Mathias Bruckman, was a leader in Puerto Rico's independence revolution against Spain known as El Grito de Lares .-Early years:...

, Mariana Bracetti

Mariana Bracetti

Mariana Bracetti was a patriot and leader of the Puerto Rico independence movement in the 1860s. She is attributed with having knitted the flag that was intended to be used as the national emblem of Puerto Rico in its attempt to overthrow the Spanish government on the island, and to establish the...

, Juan Ríus Rivera

Juan Rius Rivera

General Juan Ríus Rivera , was the General of the Cuban Liberation Army of the West upon the death of General Antonio Maceo.-Early years:...

, Juan de Mata Terreforte and Aurelio Méndez Martinez among others. They took control of Lares and then departed to take over the next town, San Sebastián del Pepino

San Sebastián, Puerto Rico

San Sebastián is a municipality of Puerto Rico located northwest of the island south of Isabela and Quebradillas; north of Las Marías; east of Moca and Añasco; and west of Lares. San Sebastián is spread over twenty-four wards and San Sebastián Pueblo...

. The Spanish militia, however, surprised the group with strong resistance, causing great confusion among the armed rebels who, led by Manuel Rojas, retreated back to Lares. Upon an order from the governor, Julián Pavía, the Spanish militia soon rounded up the rebels and quickly brought the insurrection to an end.

Some 475 rebels, among them Manuel Rojas, Mariana Bracetti and Juan Ríus Rivera were imprisoned in the local prison of the city of Arecibo

Arecibo, Puerto Rico

Arecibo is a municipality in the northern midwest coast of Puerto Rico and located by the Atlantic Ocean, north of Utuado and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta, and Florida. Arecibo is spread over 18 wards and Arecibo Pueblo...

. On November 17, a military court imposed the death penalty, for treason and sedition, on all the prisoners. Meanwhile, in Madrid, Eugenio María de Hostos and other prominent Puerto Ricans were successful in interceding with President Francisco Serrano, who had himself just led a revolution against the monarchy in Spain. In an effort to appease the already tense atmosphere on the island, the incoming governor, José Laureano Sanz, dictated a general amnesty early in 1869 and all prisoners were released. Betances, Rojas, Rius Rivera, Terreforte, Méndez Martinez, and many more were sent into exile.

The Spanish Crown feared losing the only two colonies which it had left in the Western Hemisphere

Western Hemisphere

The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...

, Puerto Rico and Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

to independence insurgents. As a result of the Lares uprising Spain granted Puerto Rico provincial status and its native Spanish Citizenship. Puerto Ricans were also allowed to participate in special elections and to organize officially recognized political parties.

Political and pro-independence protests and skirmishes

During the years immediately following the Grito, there were minor pro-independence protests and skirmishes with the Spanish authorities in Las Marías

Las Marías, Puerto Rico

Las Marías is a municipality of Puerto Rico located north of Maricao; southeast of Añasco; south of San Sebastián; east of Mayagüez; and west of Lares...

, Adjuntas

Adjuntas, Puerto Rico

Adjuntas is a small mountainside municipality in Puerto Rico located central midwest of the island on the Central Mountain range , north of Yauco, Guayanilla and Peñuelas; southeast of Utuado; east of Lares and Yauco; and west of Ponce. Adjuntas is spread over 16 wards and Adjuntas Pueblo...

, Utuado

Utuado, Puerto Rico

Utuado is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the central-western mountainous region of the island known as La Cordillera Central. It is located north of Adjuntas and Ponce; south of Hatillo and Arecibo; east of Lares; and west of Ciales and Jayuya. In land area it is the third-largest...

, Vieques

Vieques, Puerto Rico

Vieques , in full Isla de Vieques, is an island–municipality of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands...

, Bayamón

Bayamón, Puerto Rico

Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...

, Ciales

Ciales, Puerto Rico

Ciales is a municipality of Puerto Rico, located on the Central Mountain Range, northwest of Orocovis; south of Florida and Manatí; east of Utuado and Jayuya; and west of Morovis. Ciales is spread over eight wards and Ciales Pueblo...

and Toa Baja

Toa Baja, Puerto Rico

Toa Baja is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northern coast, north of Toa Alta and Bayamón; east of Dorado; and west of Cataño. Toa Baja is spread over 5 wards and Toa Baja Pueblo . It is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.Toa Baja considered to be a...

(Palo Seco).

In July 1871, a group of people attacked Spanish soldiers and members of the local militia in San Juan

San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...

, Puerto Rico's capital. Lieutenant General Gabriel Baldrich, the Spanish appointed governor, declared martial law. Some of the protests were between the liberal and conservative political factions of the island and were not pro-independence intended. Among these were the "Motin de Yabucoa" of 1871, "La Estrella" and the "Sucesos de Camuy" of 1873.

On December 8, 1895, the Puerto Rican Revolutionary Committee was founded in New York City. This group promoted the ideal of Puerto Rican independence from Spain and included participants of "El Grito de Lares" who were exiled, such as Ramon Emiterio Betances, Juan Ríus Rivera, Juan de Mata Terreforte and Aurelio Méndez Martinez among its members. Terreforte was named by the committee as its Vice-President. In 1892, Terreforte and the members of the Revolutionary committee adopted the design (which is the current design) of a flag similar to the Cuban flag, but with its colors inverted, as the flag to represent the Republic of Puerto Rico.

In 1896, a group of "Yaucanos" (as the natives of Yauco are known) who believed in full independence of Puerto Rico joined forces and met in Barrio Barinas of Yauco where they made plans to overthrow the government. The group was led by Antonio Mattei Lluberas

Antonio Mattei Lluberas

Antonio Mattei Lluberas , was a businessman and politician who in 1897 planned and led the second and last major uprising against Spanish colonial rule in Puerto Rico, known as the Intentona de Yauco.-Early years:...

, a wealthy coffee plantation owner, and Mateo Mercado. On December of that year, the local Civil Guard discovered their plans and proceeded to arrest all those involved who, besides Mercado and Mattei Lluberas, included Dario and Carlos Franchesi and Emiliano Lavergue, however they were soon released and returned to their respective homes.

In 1897, Mattei Lluberas visited the Puerto Rican Revolutionary Committee in New York City. There he met with Ramon Emiterio Betances, Juan de Mata Terreforte and Aurelio Méndez Martinez and together they proceeded to plan a major coup. The uprising was to be directed by Betances, organized by Mendez Mercado and the armed forces were to be commanded by General Rius Rivera. At the time Ríus Rivera, who joined José Martí

José Martí

José Julián Martí Pérez was a Cuban national hero and an important figure in Latin American literature. In his short life he was a poet, an essayist, a journalist, a revolutionary philosopher, a translator, a professor, a publisher, and a political theorist. He was also a part of the Cuban...

's struggle for Cuban independence as a member of the Cuban Liberation Army, was the Commander-in-Chief of the Cuban Liberation Army of the West.

In accordance to the plan, Mattei Lluberas purchased 30,000 machetes which were to be distributed amongst the rebels. Mattei Lluberas returned to Puerto Rico with a Puerto Rican flag

Flag of Puerto Rico

The flags of Puerto Rico represent and symbolize the island and people of Puerto Rico. The most commonly used flags of Puerto Rico are the current flag, which represents the people of the commonwealth of Puerto Rico; municipal flags, which represent the different regions of the island; political...

and began to proceed with the plans of the revolt with his group. The Budet Rivera brothers established an insurgent training camp in the farm of Gullermo Velazco. Fellow rebels, Gerardo Forest Velez and Agustin F. Morales (himself a general in the Army of the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

), were in charge of propaganda and traveled throughout the island seeking public support for their cause. Cuban revolutionist Tomas Estrada Palma, offered a contribution of 500 rifles with half a million rounds of ammunition and his comrade offered a steamship with an invading force of 200 men under the command of General Agustin F. Morales. The revolution was set for the beginning of the month of December 1897.

The political situation at the time in Puerto Rico was different from the one in 1868, when "El Grito de Lares" occurred. Luis Muñoz Rivera

Luis Muñoz Rivera

Luis Muñoz Rivera was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist and politician. He was a major figure in the struggle for political autonomy of Puerto Rico....

and his Autonomist party had signed a pact with Praxedes Mateo Sagasta, the leader of the Spanish Liberal Party, which stated that if he (Sagasta) and the liberals assumed power in Spain, he would grant Puerto Rico autonomy. Thus, the political leaders of Puerto Rico believed that any attempt by the separatist movement to seek full independence for the island would be a threat to what they were trying to accomplish and instead of being granted more autonomy, the island would be dealt with harshly by the Spanish authorities. Therefore, when the Mayor of Yauco Francisco Lluch Barreras heard the rumors of the planned uprising, he immediately notified General Sabas Marín González the governor of the island.

Fidel Velez, a native of Sabana Grande

Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico

Sabana Grande is a municipality of Puerto Rico located north of Lajas and Guánica; south of Maricao; east of San Germán; and west of Yauco. Sabana Grande is spread over seven wards and Sabana Grande Pueblo...

and one of the separatist leaders, found out that the Spanish authorities knew about their plans and immediately held a meeting with Mattei Lluberas and the other leaders. Fearing that they all would soon be arrested, he demanded that the insurrection start immediately and not in December. In the discussion that followed, the other leaders did not agree with him, fearing that such a haste action would lead to the same disastrous results of El Grito de Lares.

On March 24, 1897, Fidel Velez and his men, which included José "Aguila Blanca" Maldonado Román

José Maldonado Román

José Maldonado Román a.k.a. "Aguila Blanca" was a Puerto Rican revolutionary who fought with the Cuban Liberation Army and whose controversial exploits in Puerto Rico have contributed to making him part of Puerto Rican lore....

, met at Susua Arriba, just outside of Yauco. They unfurled the Puerto Rican flag for the first time in Puerto Rican soil. and marched towards the town. They planned to attack the barracks of the Spanish Civil Guard with the aim of gaining control of the arms and ammunition which were stored there. The plan did not succeed because when they arrived they were ambushed by the Spanish forces who had set up positions and were waiting for them. A firefight ensued upon the arrival of the group and the rebels quickly retreated. On March 26, another group headed by Jose Nicolas Quiñones Torres and Ramon Torres attempted to fight the Spaniards in a barrio called "Quebradas" of Yauco, however said revolt also failed. Over 150 rebels were arrested, accused of various crimes against the state and sent to prison in the City of Ponce

Ponce, Puerto Rico

Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...

. Velez fled to St. Thomas

Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...

where he lived in exile, while Mattei Lluberas went into exile in New York City and joined a group known as the "Puerto Rican Commission".

Aftermath

Sagasta's party won the elections in Spain and on November 25, 1897, Spain granted Puerto Rico autonomy. Muñoz Rivera served as Secretary of Grace, Justice and Government and Chief of the Cabinet for the independent Government of Puerto Rico. In December 1897, those who participated in the Intentona de Yauco were granted clemency and released from jail.

Following the sinking of the battleship Maine in Havana harbor, Cuba, the United States forwarded an ultimatum to Spain to withdraw from Cuba. In response, Spain broke off diplomatic relations with the United States, and on April 23, 1898, Spain declared war

Declaration of war

A declaration of war is a formal act by which one nation goes to war against another. The declaration is a performative speech act by an authorized party of a national government in order to create a state of war between two or more states.The legality of who is competent to declare war varies...

. On April 25, the U.S. Congress

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

declared that a state of war between the United States and Spain had existed since April 20. One of the United States' principal objectives in the Spanish-American War was to take control of Spanish possessions in the Atlantic — Puerto Rico and Cuba.

Mattei Lluberas and the Puerto Rican Commission in New York had been trying to convince President William McKinley

William McKinley

William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...

to invade Puerto Rico for sometime. After Cuba was taken, President McKinley approved the land invasion of Puerto Rico. A convoy of ships left Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....

and on July 21 another convoy departed from Guantánamo

Guantánamo

Guantánamo is a municipality and city in southeast Cuba and capital of Guantánamo Province.Guantánamo is served by the Caimanera port and the site of a famous U.S. Naval base. The area produces sugarcane and cotton wool...

for a 4 day journey to Puerto Rico. Major General Nelson A. Miles

Nelson A. Miles

Nelson Appleton Miles was a United States soldier who served in the American Civil War, Indian Wars, and the Spanish-American War.-Early life:Miles was born in Westminster, Massachusetts, on his family's farm...

, Commanding General of the Army, opted to land his troops in the southern region of the island, picking Guánica

Guánica, Puerto Rico

Guánica is a municipality in southwestern Puerto Rico located on southern coast, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Sabana Grande, east of Lajas, and west of Yauco. It is part of the Yauco Metropolitan Statistical Area....

, at the time a part of the municipality of Yauco, as his landing zone. On July 31, 1898, Mattei Lluberas and his group arrived in Ponce aboard the USS St. Louis and were assigned to the headquarters of General Miles. On August 13, the Puerto Rican Campaign

Puerto Rican Campaign

The Puerto Rican Campaign was an American military sea and land operation on the island of Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War. The offensive began on May 12, 1898, when the United States Navy attacked the archipelago’s capital, San Juan. Though the damage inflicted on the city was minimal,...

came to an end. Under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898

Treaty of Paris (1898)

The Treaty of Paris of 1898 was signed on December 10, 1898, at the end of the Spanish-American War, and came into effect on April 11, 1899, when the ratifications were exchanged....

, ratified on December 10, 1898, Puerto Rico was annexed by the United States. In 1904, Mattei Lluberas was elected Mayor of Yauco as a candidate of the pro-statehood Republican Party of Puerto Rico. Mattei Lluberas died on January 15, 1908. As for Fidel Velez, he returned to Sabana Grande, his native town and lived there until 1950 when he died of natural causes at the age of 86.

Prelude

Political and pro-independence protests and skirmishes

Intentona de Yauco

Aftermath

Further reading

See also