Dominican Republic commemorates 182nd anniversary of national independence

Dominican National Independence is commemorated today, Friday, February 27, 2026, marking the 182nd anniversary of the founding of the Dominican Republic as a sovereign nation in 1844. This historic date reaffirms the values of freedom, identity, and national sovereignty that shaped the Dominican State.

Dominican independence was the result of a collective effort led by a group of committed patriots. Foremost among them were Juan Pablo Duarte, Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, and Matías Ramón Mella, who worked alongside other notable figures such as Antonio Duvergé, Pedro Santana, Ramón Santana, the Puello brothers, and José María Imbert. Unlike independence movements led by a single dominant figure, the Dominican struggle was defined by shared leadership and coordinated action.

With a clear vision of sovereignty, Duarte founded the secret society La Trinitaria on July 16, 1838, followed by La Filantrópica, both of which played a decisive role in mobilizing support and organizing resistance against Haitian rule. During the anti-Boyer movement of 1843, Duarte emerged as a key leader of reformist and republican forces in Santo Domingo.

Political circumstances later forced Duarte into exile, but the movement continued under the leadership of Sánchez and Mella. On January 16, 1844, they issued the Manifesto of Independence, formally establishing the republican and liberal principles of the future nation and affirming the will to create a sovereign state.

On the night of February 27, 1844, Matías Ramón Mella fired the historic shot at the Puerta de la Misericordia, signaling the start of the uprising. Shortly afterward, at the Puerta del Conde, Sánchez led the final actions and, in the early hours of February 28, raised the Dominican flag under the motto “God, Fatherland, and Liberty,” proclaiming the birth of the Dominican Republic.

Following independence, Sánchez assumed the presidency of the Central Governing Board, helping guide the early formation of the new State. The success of the independence movement demonstrated that unity, cooperation, and shared responsibility were essential to achieving national freedom.

One hundred eighty-two years later, this commemoration serves as a reminder of the enduring legacy of the Founding Fathers and calls on Dominicans to uphold their ideals in the continued pursuit of national progress and democratic development.