Grito de Lares — first armed uprising for independence
On September 23, 1868, hundreds of Puerto Ricans rose up against Spanish colonial rule in the town of Lares, declaring the Republic of Puerto Rico. Though quickly suppressed, El Grito de Lares remains the foundational act of Puerto Rican independence.
The Uprising
On September 23, 1868, several hundred rebels — including Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Venezuelans, and formerly enslaved people — took control of the town of Lares under the leadership of Ramon Emeterio Betances and Segundo Ruiz Belvis.
They proclaimed the Republic of Puerto Rico, raised a revolutionary flag, and freed enslaved people in the area.
Legacy
El Grito de Lares is celebrated every September 23 as a defining moment of Puerto Rican national identity. It demonstrated that the desire for self-determination was not abstract — it was a willingness to die for sovereignty.
The revolt also contributed to Spain's decision to abolish slavery in Puerto Rico in 1873 and to grant the Autonomous Charter in 1897.
Historical Figures
Sources
- Denis, Nelson A. "War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in Americas Colony." Nation Books, 2015.