Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón
Encyclopedia
Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón (April 22, 1855 - December 13, 1913) was a lawyer, a member of the Puerto Rican House of Representatives, and a lifelong political contrarian. He favored Puerto Rican autonomy when Puerto Rico
was a Spanish
colony. After the Spanish-American War
, when the island was ceded to the United States
, he advocated for Puerto Rico to become a U.S. state. In later years, Cintrón advocated for Puerto Rico's independence.
where he received his primary and secondary education. He moved to Spain to continue his education at the University of Barcelona
, and earned his law degree there in 1875. Upon his return to Puerto Rico, he moved to the city of Mayagüez and established his law practice.
In 1887, Matienzo Cintrón assisted the Assembly of Autonomists in La Perla theatre in the city of Ponce
. During the assembly Luis Muñoz Rivera
proposed the establishment of the Puerto Rican Autonomist Party. Matienzo Cintrón supported the proposal, and became one of the party's most prominent figures.
From the very beginning Matienzo Cintrón had some differences with Muñoz Rivera. At first he was against Muñoz Rivera's suggestion that their party make a pact with the Spanish Liberal Fusionist Party headed by Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
and later realized that such a pact would be to their own benefit. Matienzo Cintrón was named to the commission which, along with Luis Muñoz Rivera, José Gómez Brioso and Federico Degetau
traveled to Spain to make official the pact with the Spanish Liberal Fusionist Party.
On February 12, 1897, the Puerto Rican Autonomist Party held an assembly in San Juan
, where new suggestions to the pact made by Matienzo Cintrón were approved. One of the suggestions was to rename the Puerto Rican Autonomist Party as the Puerto Rican Liberal Fusionist Party. A group of members headed by Dr. José Celso Barbosa
did not agree with some of the new by-laws, and consequently, the party divided into two factions.
In 1898, the United States declared war against Spain in what is known as the Spanish-American War
. The United States forces under the command of Major General Nelson A. Miles
invaded Puerto Rico via the town of Guanica in a military operation known as the Puerto Rico Campaign. Miles and his men were officially greeted that following August by a committee headed by Matienzo Cintrón, who provided the general with a banquet in his honor. Miles named Matienzo Cintrón President of the Ponce Audience, a position which he held until 1899.
), Antonio R. Barceló
, Eduardo Georgetti
, and José de Diego
, he founded the Union of Puerto Rico
Party. The political ideology of the Union of Puerto Rico Party centered around the repeal of the Foraker Act
, and the enhancement of Puerto Rican autonomy, as a pathway to full independence.
On June 5, 1900, President William McKinley
named Matienzo Cintrón, together with José Celso Barbosa, José de Diego, Manuel Camuñas and Andrés Crosas to an Executive Cabinet under U.S.-appointed Governor Charles H. Allen. The Executive Cabinet also included six American members.
In 1912, Matienzo Cintrón became convinced the party was not doing enough to promote Puerto Rico's independence and left the party in order to organize a new party, the Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño, also known as the PIP, or Puerto Rican Independence Party
. On February 8, 1912, together with Luis Llorens Torres
, Manuel Zeno Gandía
and others, he wrote a manifesto demanding the independence of Puerto Rico from the United States.
The Independence Party, which also included Eugenio Benítez Castaño and Pedro Franceschi as founding members, was the first party in the history of Puerto Rico to establish an absolute and non-negotiable demand for Puerto Rican independence. In this manner, the Independence Party established a precedent for future organizations with similar ideologies.
, and a plaza in Luquillo, after him.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
was a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
colony. After the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, when the island was ceded to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, he advocated for Puerto Rico to become a U.S. state. In later years, Cintrón advocated for Puerto Rico's independence.
Early years
Matienzo Cintrón was born in the town of Luquillo, Puerto RicoLuquillo, Puerto Rico
Luquillo is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northeast coast, northwest of Fajardo; and east of Rio Grande. Luquillo is spread over 5 wards and Luquillo Pueblo...
where he received his primary and secondary education. He moved to Spain to continue his education at the University of Barcelona
University of Barcelona
The University of Barcelona is a public university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia in Spain. It is a member of the Coimbra Group, LERU, European University Association, Mediterranean Universities Union, International Research Universities Network and Vives Network...
, and earned his law degree there in 1875. Upon his return to Puerto Rico, he moved to the city of Mayagüez and established his law practice.
Political career
On November 1885 Matienzo Cintrón was accused of being a Free Mason, which was illegal at the time, and was briefly imprisoned. After his release he ran for the position of provisional representative for the district of Mayagüez, and was elected.In 1887, Matienzo Cintrón assisted the Assembly of Autonomists in La Perla theatre 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...
. During the assembly 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....
proposed the establishment of the Puerto Rican Autonomist Party. Matienzo Cintrón supported the proposal, and became one of the party's most prominent figures.
From the very beginning Matienzo Cintrón had some differences with Muñoz Rivera. At first he was against Muñoz Rivera's suggestion that their party make a pact with the Spanish Liberal Fusionist Party headed by Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
Práxedes Mariano Mateo Sagasta y Escolar was a Spanish politician who served as Prime Minister on eight occasions between 1870 and 1902—always in charge of the Liberal Party—as part of the turno pacifico, alternating with the Liberal-Conservative leader Antonio Cánovas...
and later realized that such a pact would be to their own benefit. Matienzo Cintrón was named to the commission which, along with Luis Muñoz Rivera, José Gómez Brioso and Federico Degetau
Federico Degetau
Federico Degetau y González, born in Ponce was a Puerto Rican politician, lawyer, writer, author, and the first Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico to the United States House of Representatives.-Early years:...
traveled to Spain to make official the pact with the Spanish Liberal Fusionist Party.
On February 12, 1897, the Puerto Rican Autonomist Party held an assembly 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...
, where new suggestions to the pact made by Matienzo Cintrón were approved. One of the suggestions was to rename the Puerto Rican Autonomist Party as the Puerto Rican Liberal Fusionist Party. A group of members headed by Dr. José Celso Barbosa
José Celso Barbosa
Dr. José Celso Barbosa was a medical Physician, sociologist, and political leader of Puerto Rico.Known within Puerto Rico's New Progressive Party as "The father of the Statehood for Puerto Rico movement", Barbosa was also the first Puerto Rican to be awarded an American medical degree.-Early...
did not agree with some of the new by-laws, and consequently, the party divided into two factions.
In 1898, the United States declared war against Spain in what is known as the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. The United States forces under the command of 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...
invaded Puerto Rico via the town of Guanica in a military operation known as the Puerto Rico Campaign. Miles and his men were officially greeted that following August by a committee headed by Matienzo Cintrón, who provided the general with a banquet in his honor. Miles named Matienzo Cintrón President of the Ponce Audience, a position which he held until 1899.
Puerto Rican Republican Party
On July 4, 1899, Barbosa founded the pro-statehood Puerto Rican Republican Party and Matienzo Cintrón became a member. Even though he belonged to the executive counsel of the party, Cintrón still had personal differences with Barbosa. He thus quit the party and, together with Luis Muñoz Rivera (who returned from a self exile in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
), Antonio R. Barceló
Antonio R. Barceló
Antonio Rafael Barceló y Martinez was a lawyer, businessman and the patriarch of what was to become one of Puerto Rico's most prominent political families...
, Eduardo Georgetti
Eduardo Georgetti
Eduardo Georgetti , was an agriculturist, businessman, philanthropist, and politician. Georgetti, who came from a family of prosperous land owners, became one of Puerto Rico's wealthiest sugar barons and benefactors...
, and José de Diego
José de Diego
José de Diego y Martínez , known as "The Father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement", was a statesman, journalist, poet, lawyer, and advocate for Puerto Rico's independence from Spain and from the United States....
, he founded the Union of Puerto Rico
Union of Puerto Rico
The Union of Puerto Rico , also known as the Union Party, was a major political party in Puerto Rico.The UPR was founded in February 1904 by Luis Muñoz Rivera, Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón, Antonio R. Barceló, José de Diego and others after the disbanding of the Federal Party...
Party. The political ideology of the Union of Puerto Rico Party centered around the repeal of the Foraker Act
Foraker Act
The Foraker Act,officially the Organic Act of 1900, is a United States federal law that established civilian government on the island of Puerto Rico, which had been newly acquired by the United States as a result of the Spanish–American War. Section VII of the Foraker Act also established Puerto...
, and the enhancement of Puerto Rican autonomy, as a pathway to full independence.
On June 5, 1900, 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...
named Matienzo Cintrón, together with José Celso Barbosa, José de Diego, Manuel Camuñas and Andrés Crosas to an Executive Cabinet under U.S.-appointed Governor Charles H. Allen. The Executive Cabinet also included six American members.
Later years
In 1904, Cintrón was elected to the Puerto Rico House of Representatives as a representative of the district of Humacao. In 1906 and 1908, he was elected to represent the district of Mayagüez. He served as Presidente de la Camara (President of the Chamber) from 1905 to 1906.In 1912, Matienzo Cintrón became convinced the party was not doing enough to promote Puerto Rico's independence and left the party in order to organize a new party, the Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño, also known as the PIP, or Puerto Rican Independence Party
Puerto Rican Independence Party
The Puerto Rican Independence Party is a Puerto Rican political party that campaigns for the independence of Puerto Rico from United States suzerainty....
. On February 8, 1912, together with Luis Llorens Torres
Luis Lloréns Torres
Luis Llorens Torres , was a Puerto Rican poet, playwright, and politician. He was an advocate for the independence of Puerto Rico.-Early years:...
, Manuel Zeno Gandía
Manuel Zeno Gandía
Dr. Manuel Zeno Gandía wrote the novel La Charca , which is considered by many to be the first Puerto Rican novel.-Early years:...
and others, he wrote a manifesto demanding the independence of Puerto Rico from the United States.
The Independence Party, which also included Eugenio Benítez Castaño and Pedro Franceschi as founding members, was the first party in the history of Puerto Rico to establish an absolute and non-negotiable demand for Puerto Rican independence. In this manner, the Independence Party established a precedent for future organizations with similar ideologies.
Legacy
Matienzo Cintrón died on December 13, 1913, in his hometown of Luquillo. The government of Puerto Rico honored his memory by naming an elementary school in the town of Sabana GrandeSabana grande
Sabana grande is a Spanish term meaning Grand plains . It may also refer to:*Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico, a municipality of Puerto Rico...
, and a plaza in Luquillo, after him.
Further reading
- Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón, Orientador y Guardián de una Cultura; by Luis M. Díaz Soler; Published in 1960, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Ediciones del Instituto de Literatura Puertorriqueña (Río Piedras, P. R)
- El Movimiento Anexionista En Puerto Rico; (Spanish Edition) by Edgardo Melendez