164th anniversary of the execution of national hero Francisco del Rosario Sánchez

Santo Domingo.- On July 4, 1861, Dominican patriot and founding father Francisco del Rosario Sánchez was executed in El Cercado after leading a failed expedition to prevent the annexation of the Dominican Republic to Spain. A central figure in the country’s fight for independence, Sánchez dedicated his life to defending national sovereignty and upholding the ideals of liberty.

Born on March 9, 1817, in Santo Domingo, Sánchez rose to leadership in the independence movement during Juan Pablo Duarte’s absence. On February 24, 1844, he was named Commander of Arms and presided over the Governing Junta that would declare independence. On the historic night of February 27, Sánchez led the charge, raising the Dominican flag with the motto “God, Homeland, and Liberty,” marking the birth of the Dominican Republic.

Despite being sidelined politically after independence, Sánchez continued his fight for national sovereignty. He opposed Pedro Santana’s push for annexation to Spain, which led to repeated exiles and imprisonments. In 1861, he returned from exile with a small force to resist the annexation, but was wounded, captured, and sentenced to death. His powerful words before his execution—“To raise the Dominican flag, the blood of the Sánchez family was needed; to lower it, the same is required”—have become a symbol of ultimate patriotic sacrifice.

Sánchez is honored as one of the founding fathers and a two-time national hero—first for helping secure independence, and later for resisting foreign domination—leaving a legacy of bravery, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to the Dominican Republic.