The Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Comité Revolucionario de Puerto Rico) was founded by Juan Ríus Rivera, Ramón Emeterio Betances and José Francisco Basora in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The committee was founded on January 8, 1867, and composed of Puerto Rican and Dominican patriots. The goal of the committee was to create a united effort by Cubans and Puerto Ricans to win independence from Spain. Early in the Cuban Ten Years War, the Revolutionary Committee gave financial support, and weaponry to the Cuban independence efforts. Such weaponry included 400 Enfield rifles, 45 snider rifles, 110 carbines, 87 handguns and one cannon with 200 shells, culminated from hidden caches on Saint Thomas, Curaçao and Haiti.[1][2]
On September 23, 1868, the Revolutionary Committee, led by Betances, declared independence in the city of Lares, Puerto Rico, calling it the Republic of Puerto Rico. Some 400-600 rebels gathered in the vicinity of Pezuela, on the outskirts of Lares. The rebels walked and rode to the town, arriving by midnight. The forces took over city hall, and looted stores and officies owned by "peninsulares" (Spanish-born men), taking some of the store owners prisoner. By 2:00 AM, the Republic of Puerto Rico was proclaimed under the presidency of Francisco Ramírez Medina. The revolution was put down however by the Spanish militia and some 475 rebels imprisoned. The event became known as The Cry of Lares (Spanish: El Grito de Lares).[3]