Pedro Santana

For other uses, see Pedro Santana (disambiguation).

Pedro Santana
Pedro Santana
1st, 4th and 8th President of the Dominican Republic
In office November 14, 1844 – August 4, 1848
Preceded by	Francisco del Rosario Sánchez
Succeeded by	Manuel Jimenes
In office February 15, 1853 – May 26, 1856
Preceded by	Buenaventura Báez
Succeeded by	Manuel de Regla Mota
In office July 28, 1858 – March 18, 1861
Preceded by	José Desiderio Valverde
Succeeded by	José Antonio Salcedo
Governor of the Province of Santo Domingo
In office March 18, 1861 – July 20, 1862
Monarch	Isabella II
Preceded by	Pascual Real
Succeeded by	Felipe Rimero y Lemotne
Personal details
Born	June 29, 1801 Hincha, Saint-Domingue
Died	June 14, 1864 (aged 62) City of Santo Domingo, Province of Santo Domingo, Spanish Empire
Spouse(s)	Micaela Antonia Rivera Ana Zorrilla
Occupation	Landowner, military officer, politician

Pedro Santana Familias, Marquis of Las Carreras (Hincha, Saint-Domingue, June 29, 1801 – City of Santo Domingo, Province of Santo Domingo, June 14, 1864), was a Dominican military officer and caudillo. He was the first constitutional president of the Dominican Republic and was Governor of the Province of Santo Domingo; in 1862, Queen Isabella II of Spain granted him the title of Marquis of Las Carreras.

Santana appears, judging by his portraits, to have been of mixed Caucasian, African and Indigenous ancestry. He inflicted several decisive defeats on the Haitian forces.

Biography

Pedro Santana was born in the border region, in the town of Hincha (which at that time was the third largest City of the Colony of Santo Domingo, and today belongs to Haiti), on June 29, 1801. His parents landowners in the Guaba Valley.

He was the son of Pedro Santana, of Canarian origin, and of Petronila Familia, an Indigenous woman native to Mexico. Santana had a twin brother named Ramón (1801–1844), and another brother named Florencio, who was disabled (mute, insane and paralyzed).

Because of the Haitian invasion of 1805, the Santana-Familia family moved to the Cibao and then to El Seibo, in the eastern part of the country, where they finally devoted themselves to cattle ranching. In that region his father made himself known when, after the suicide of the French governor Jean-Louis Ferrand during the Battle of Palo Hincado, he cut off his head and carried it as a trophy to the city of Santo Domingo.

Pedro Santana the father left the eastern region and arrived in Azua. The first visit he made was to the French consul, Eustache Juchereau de Saint-Denys. The latter once confessed that Pedro Santana spoke to him with the liveliest enthusiasm about his devotion to and admiration for the French. He took part in the signing of the manifesto of January 16, 1844. On March 7, 1844, the Central Governing Junta, presided over by Tomás Bobadilla y Briones, appointed him Chief of the Expeditionary Army of the Southern Frontier, giving him the right to recruit men of age to join the militia.

Despite his military help to the Dominican Republic in those days, he became a military caudillo and later a dictator. Pedro and his twin brother Ramón Santana took the Arms Command of El Seibo, which was in the hands of the Haitians, at 3 a.m. on February 27, 1844, and proclaimed themselves for the Republic, in front of the town's old Church.

On June 9, when the Trinitarios came to preside over the Governing Junta, Pedro Santana was removed from command of the Army of the South.

Six days later, his brother Ramón died.

In July 1844, Pedro Santana appeared with his army in Santo Domingo and had himself proclaimed President of the Central Governing Junta. The following month, Santana deported the Fathers of the Nation. On November 14 of the same year he took office as the first Constitutional President of the Dominican Republic.

He held the presidency for three terms. His first government was dictatorial in character. He added to the Constitution of the Dominican Republic the famous Article 210, which gave him powers to carry out dictatorial actions against the citizens.

On February 27, 1845, on the commemoration of the first anniversary of Dominican National Independence, Pedro Santana ordered the execution by firing squad of María Trinidad Sánchez and of Andrés Sánchez, respectively aunt and brother of the patrician Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, and of José del Carmen Figueroa, accused of conspiring against the government. In 1847 he had the Puello brothers shot.

Pedro Santana's annexationist ideas earned him many political enemies, since he went so far as to annex his homeland to Spain on March 18, 1861, which was regarded as the death of the nationality. He held the office of Governor with the rank of Captain General of the territory. As a reward for his loyalty to Spain, Queen Isabella II of Spain granted him the title of Marquis of Las Carreras

One of the acts that most discredited his government was the execution by firing squad of Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, in 1861, as the struggles of the Dominican Restoration War began.

He retired from military and political life in the year 1864. He died at the age of 62 in the City of Santo Domingo, on June 14, 1864, and was buried in the Fortress beside the Torre del Homenaje. His remains rest in the National Pantheon.

Without the military and political participation of Pedro Santana, the separation of the eastern part of the island would not have been possible, since he had a contingent of armed men who worked on his estates, and that was decisive support for the so-called separation from Haiti.

Participation in the battle of March 19

Pedro Santana
Military career
Allegiance	Dominican Republic (1844–1861) Spain (1861–1864)
Rank	General
Conflicts	Battle of Azua

On March 14, 1844, General Pedro Santana set out for the border with an army of 2,000 men, among whom were hateros (ranchers) and monteros (hunters) from El Seybo, Hato Mayor and Higüey.

Pedro Santana and his men joined the troops of the Southern Region, which were commanded by Manuel de Regla Mota, Antonio Duvergé, Vicente Noble and José María Cabral, all gathered in Azua.

On March 16, the Dominicans received the news that the Haitian general Souffront was arriving in Neyba with 10,000 soldiers. A messenger sent to General Pedro Santana from El Maniel reported that the Haitian army "is already invading the territory." Pedro Santana thus learned that Souffront's troops had been delayed by ambushes, but the troops of Charles Rivière-Hérard were already near Azua.

Start of the battle

The troops that were already on the field of combat at the outset were joined by further reinforcements received from the city of Jacmel, which was the area that had "contributed" the most soldiers "to the Haitian army in this campaign." The arrival of these reinforcements indicated that the Haitians knew of the Dominicans' readiness to confront them.

The operations of the Dominican army were under the supreme command of General Pedro Santana. He was accompanied by General Antonio Duvergé, who was in charge of watching over the different flanks during the battle. Antonio Duvergé had reinforcements arriving from Baní and from Azua itself. The Dominican army fought with two cannons, one operated by Francisco Soñé and the other by Lieutenant José del Carmen García.

Other soldiers who fought were the riflemen Vicente Noble, Valentín Alcántara, Marcos Trinidad, Hipólito Garabito and a contingent of machete fighters trained by Francisco Soñé, placed on the right side. In the rearguard was Nicolás Mañón with 200 men in Fort Resolí.

At the center of the Dominican defense were an artillery piece and the bulk of the troops of hateros and monteros, commanded by Juan Esteban Ceara, Lucas Díaz and Luis Álvarez, where General Pedro Guillermo was also located.

On the left, another artillery piece and the riflemen Feliciano Martínez, José Leger and Matías de Vargas.

Second attack

The Haitians attacked along the roads of Los Conucos, on the Dominican left wing. There they were confronted by Matías de Vargas, Feliciano Martínez and José Leger.

Third attack

The northern wing of the Haitian army, which was advancing along the El Barro road, ran into the rifle troops of Antonio Duvergé and Vicente Noble. The machete fighters of Nicolás Mañón, who were in the rearguard of this position, repelled them at Fort Risolí. The attack caused the invaders to flee in disarray and a massive death toll.

The fundamental success of the battle, devised by Antonio Duvergé and Francisco Soñé (let us recall that Santana arrived in Azua on the 18th, when the battlefield was already laid out and when the skirmishes of Fuente del Rodeo, Las Hicoteas and Paso del Jura had already taken place), was based on the strategy of harassing the enemy until delaying him and keeping him away from the places where he might find provisions to sustain himself on the battlefield.

Withdrawal of Pedro Santana

On the afternoon of March 19, the Dominican troops, after a hasty meeting, withdrew to Sabana Buey and left the battlefield at Azua undefended. Pedro Santana's withdrawal led the Dominican Government to convene a council of war, in which the President of the junta, Tomás Bobadilla y Briones, and the generals Antonio Duvergé, Buenaventura Báez and Francisco Soñé met with Pedro Santana.

They discussed Pedro Santana's withdrawal and explained the drawbacks it caused, since the military forces would be reduced from that moment on. Pedro Santana argued that it was a strategic withdrawal to preserve the existence of his army. While they were meeting, the unpleasant news arrived that the Haitian general Souffront was approaching from Neyba with a powerful army. This situation provoked the first confrontation between Juan Pablo Duarte and Pedro Santana, the former being in favor of fighting against the Haitians. Another threat was the column of Pierrot, who had occupied Dajabón and from there was organizing to reach Santiago.

On March 21, 1844, at Talanquera, Pierrot was confronted by General Tito Salcedo, and on March 24 at Escalante.

Pedro Santana was already displaying his dictatorial traits, refusing, at a moment of such danger for the Nation, to take part in combat with his troops. Some people, in his defense, have argued that he did so to preserve his men. Juan Pablo Duarte, indignant at Pedro Santana's attitude, reacted by requesting permission from the Governing Junta headed by Tomás Bobadilla y Briones to attack the invading army.

It became clear that the Governing Junta was greatly afraid of overruling Pedro Santana. Moreover, Buenaventura Báez's group continued with its plan for a protectorate or annexion to France, frightened as well by the threat of a new invasion. They had no faith that the Dominicans could confront and win the battle against the invading army.

These ideas were entirely contrary to what Juan Pablo Duarte believed. Juan Pablo Duarte was in favor of defending the honor of the homeland without relying on any foreign power. He trusted in the courage of the Dominicans to build their nationality.

When the Haitians learned of Pedro Santana's withdrawal, Charles Hérard showed great arrogance. The interventions of General Juan Pablo Duarte and Buenaventura Báez resulted in Tomás Bobadilla y Briones accusing these generals of insubordination and of refusing to obey Pedro Santana's orders.

Upon his return to Santo Domingo, on April 9, 1844, the Junta headed by Tomás Bobadilla y Briones was overthrown by the Trinitarios, and Francisco del Rosario Sánchez became the new President of the Junta.

Matías Ramón Mella was appointed governor of Santiago and from there proceeded to organize the defense of the City of Santiago de los Caballeros in the face of the threat of a new invasion.

First Constitutional Government of Pedro Santana (1844–1848)

At the end of May 1844, Juan Pablo Duarte, together with José Joaquín Puello, carried out a coup d'état, deposing the conservative majority of the Central Governing Junta. The new Central Governing Junta was presided over by Francisco del Rosario Sánchez. At the beginning of June of that same year, Pedro Santana marched with his troops toward Santo Domingo and succeeded in removing Francisco del Rosario Sánchez.

General Pedro Santana went on to hold the presidency of the Central Governing Junta, his first decision being to declare Juan Pablo Duarte, Matías Ramón Mella and Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, together with other Trinitarios, traitors to the homeland, and they were sent into exile. From that moment on, the Trinitarios were kept away from power. In this situation the organization of the State began, with the first ministers and governors being appointed, the armies being organized, and compulsory military service being established.

When the first Constitution of 1844 was drafted, Pedro Santana pressured the constituent delegates to include Article 210, which established:

During the present war and until peace is signed, the President of the Republic may freely organize the army and navy and mobilize the national guards; being able, consequently, to issue whatever orders, measures and decrees are appropriate, without being subject to any responsibility whatsoever.

On February 27, 1845, on the commemoration of the first anniversary of National Independence, Pedro Santana ordered the execution by firing squad of María Trinidad Sánchez and Andrés Sánchez, respectively aunt and brother of the patrician Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, and of José del Carmen Figueroa, accused of conspiring against the Dominican government.

Under the Constitution of 1844, President Pedro Santana had been proclaimed for two consecutive four-year terms, so he was to govern until February 15, 1852. But at the end of his first term the situation of political and economic crisis the country was going through caused his government to lose popularity, for which reason he cited ill health, resigning on August 4, 1848, and was succeeded by the Council of Secretaries of State, provisionally in charge of the executive power from August 4 to September 8, 1848.

De facto government (1849)

After his resignation in 1848, he was replaced by Manuel Jimenes. Jiménez's government faced from its outset the threat of new invasions. Following Jiménez González's dismissal of these threats, the National Congress called on Pedro Santana to take charge of the military situation, which after his victories allowed him to recover his political prestige.

This led Pedro Santana to stage a coup d'état against Manuel Jiménez on May 29, 1849. He governed the country provisionally as Supreme Chief of the Republic from May 30 to September 23, 1849, as a transition process toward the elections called that same year, which were won by the candidate suggested by Santana, Buenaventura Báez. In the end it turned out to be a government that controlled the public administration in a disproportionate manner.

Participation in the Battle of El Número

The Battle of "El Número" was fought on the road to Azua when the army led by Duvergé managed to defeat the Haitians, breaking the psycho-military confidence of the invading army. In memory of this battle there is today a monument named "El Número."

The Battle of El Número was an important battle during the years following Dominican independence and was fought on April 17, 1849, near Azua de Compostela. A force of Dominican troops, part of the Army of the South, led by General Antonio Duvergé, encountered a force that outnumbered the Dominican troops, with 15,000 men of the Haitian army led by General Jean François Jeannot.

Participation in the Battle of Las Carreras

One of the largest Dominican-Haitian engagements took place barely two days after the Battle of El Número, following the invasion by the enemy Soulouque. "Las Carreras" was fought at the place of the same name, close to the eastern bank of the Ocoa River, between April 19 and 22, 1849.

The Dominican army was commanded by Pedro Santana, who, undefeated, obtained the victory after days of fighting during which Antonio Duvergé, Antonio Abad Alfau, Marcos Evangelista, Commander Aniceto Martínez and the captains Bruno Arquino and Bruno del Rosario stood out, and his prestige consequently increased enormously.

Second constitutional government of Santana (1853–1856)

On February 15, 1853, elections were held in which Pedro Santana won the presidency for the 1853–1857 term. His new government was not very different from the previous one, being characterized as despotic and arbitrary. In a conciliatory gesture, Pedro Santana decreed an amnesty for a large number of political exiles, although these did not include Juan Pablo Duarte, who was living in Venezuela.

Pedro Santana, like Buenaventura Báez, devoted himself to making efforts to obtain a protectorate from the United States. Spain, which until then had not shown great interest in the Dominican Republic, became concerned about the ground the United States could gain in the country. This led Spain to hasten to sign several recognitions.

Antonio María Segovia, the Spanish consul, devoted himself to obstructing Pedro Santana's negotiations with the United States and supported the sectors hostile to the government. In addition, in 1856 he offered Spanish nationality to all Dominicans who requested it. An avalanche of opponents benefited from the so-called Matrícula de Segovia, going on to act freely under Spanish protection.

The diplomatic problems with Spain, the financial crisis and the decline in Pedro Santana's popularity led him to resign on March 26, 1856. Vice President Manuel de Regla Mota took over the presidency of the Republic and, by a political agreement, Báez was appointed the new vice president, so that the President would then resign and Báez would assume power. Báez had been out of the country since 1853 by order of Pedro Santana. Buenaventura Báez returned to the country to take office thanks to the efforts made by the consul Antonio María Segovia.

Third constitutional government and the Annexation (1858–1861)

In August 1858 Pedro Santana staged a coup d'état against the government of President José Desiderio Valverde, in Santiago. Under this de facto government, which lasted until January 1859, General Pedro Santana proceeded to move the seat of government to Santo Domingo and then to legitimize his mandate, calling elections in which Pedro Santana was elected President and Antonio Abad Alfau Vice President, beginning his new constitutional term on January 31, 1859.

During this government, the country faced a serious economic crisis as a result of the Revolution of 1857. Timber cutting, which was the main export item, was considerably reduced. This exploitation was the main source of revenue of the Dominican people, so the government was without resources.

Politically, the continual rumors of Faustin Soulouque's intentions of a new Haitian invasion kept the country in tension. Faustin Soulouque's intentions did not materialize owing to an internal opposition movement, headed by General Fabre Geffrard, which overthrew him in December 1858. General Geffrard had a different attitude and offered the government guarantees that the Haitians desired an understanding with the Dominican Republic.

An economic problem inherited by Pedro Santana from the administration of Buenaventura Báez was the large quantity of devalued paper money in circulation. This money had been issued by Buenaventura Báez to defraud the tobacco growers of El Cibao, in 1857.

Pedro Santana continued to make, in secret, large unbacked monetary issues, harming the national finances. The justification for these issues was the need to prepare militarily to resist a possible Haitian invasion.

Despite the guarantees offered by President Geffrard, Pedro Santana resumed his attempts to seek a protectorate with Spain on the premise of an imminent Haitian attack. In 1859 General Felipe Alfau traveled to Spain to negotiate a protectorate with the Queen of Spain, Isabella II. Pedro Santana himself wrote a letter to the Queen in which he expressed his interest not in a simple protectorate, but in annexation.

Pedro Santana and the power sectors interested in annexation hoped to benefit from it in different ways, mainly by guaranteeing their posts and their social privileges. Spain wanted the annexation to appear at all times as the will of the Dominican people. To that end, Pedro Santana proceeded to meet with the most important military chiefs and political sectors, whom he informed and convinced to support the Annexation. Each of them was to guarantee the adherence of the population. Those who expressed disagreement were sent into exile.

On March 18, 1861, when the annexation to Spain was proclaimed, the Dominican people confirmed the rumors that had been circulating for months. Immediately the manifestos of support began to come out, just as had been agreed by Pedro Santana's followers. Santana was appointed governor of Santo Domingo, but he soon discovered that things would not be as he had planned, since the Spanish directives made all the decisions.

Discontent reached even the annexationist sectors, which did not manage to obtain the benefits they expected. Pedro Santana himself felt uncomfortable with the loss of his influence and authority. Citing ill health, he resigned from his post on July 20, 1862.

Social characteristics

• During his first government he established taxes on foreign fruits and products.
• He carried out the first issue of paper money.
• He reopened the University of Santo Domingo.
• In 1846 a devaluation of the currency occurred and administrative corruption prevailed.
• He decreed the expulsion of the Trinitarios.
• In September 1858 he put the Constitution of Moca back into force.
• He sought international recognition.
• In his third term of government he carried out the annexation to Spain.
• Ratification of the national properties.
• Creation of caudillismo in 1847.

Marriages

Santana's first sweetheart was the maiden María del Carmen Ruiz, described as very beautiful and charming. Before the wedding, Ruiz traveled to Higüey for religious reasons, and as she was returning to El Seibo, her horse took fright and she crashed against a rock and died. The death of his fiancée caused Pedro Santana a deep depression, so his twin brother Ramón decided to take him along to visit his sweetheart Froilana Febles Rivera, who lived in the City of El Seybo. Pedro fell in love with his brother's future mother-in-law, Doña Micaela Antonia del Rivero de Soto, the wealthy widow of the landowner Miguel Febles Valenilla (who had been one of the richest men in the Dominican territory, born in Hincha to Spanish parents, and who because of the Haitian invasions settled in El Seibo, was a hero of the Reconquest and fought in the Battle of Palo Hincado), and married her. This marriage was very unhappy but gave Santana power and influence in the Dominican Southeast. Years later, Santana was widowed. In 1858, he married Ana Zorrilla Laureano (b. 1798), also a widow and older than he.

Death and will

Santana died on June 14, 1864, after having fallen ill. According to his death certificate, he died of cerebral inflammation; he was buried the following day. He had no legitimate children with his wives, very possibly because both were mature women.

In his will, Santana bequeathed his property to his widow Ana Zorilla, his insane and paralyzed brother Florencio Santana, his aunt Dominga, his stepchildren Miguel and Loriana Febles, and his sister-in-law and stepdaughter Froilana Febles. Also to his nephews: Manuel, Francisco and Rafael Santana; and his godchildren: Pedro García, Francisco Robiou, Socorro de la Cruz Zorrilla and María de los Santos Núñez; his nephews' godchildren: Gerardo de la Cruz Zorrilla and Juan José de la Cruz Zorrilla; and Mr. Valentín Familia.

Since 1978, his remains have lain in the Pantheon of the Homeland by order of President Joaquín Balaguer.

Bibliography

• Peña Blanco, Joaquín Guillermo. "Anexión y Guerra de Santo Domingo". Editorial EAS. Madrid. 2018