February 26th Anniversaries

The events of February 26th are marked by important historical events and international celebrations that left their mark on world history.

Celebrations and commemorations

• World Pistachio Day.
• National Resistance Day in the Philippines.
• Saints: Saint Agricola of Nevers, Saint Alexander of Alexandria, Saint Porphyrius of Gaza, Saint Paula Montal, Saint Nestor of Magydos.

National: February 26th Anniversaries

1844: Pedro Santana, an important cattle rancher from El Seibo, pronounces himself along with his brother Ramón against the Haitians and in favor of the separation of Haiti. The news quickly reaches Santo Domingo, where, with the utmost secrecy, the conspirators get in motion and agree to meet the night of the following day at 11 o'clock, at the Puerta de la Misericordia to, from there, launch themselves to occupy the bastion of El Conde, where Lieutenant Martín Girón, conquered at the last minute, would wait for them with his men ready to face the possible reaction of the Haitians who had the Ozama fortress as their headquarters.

1845: Lawyers Juan Nepomuceno Tejera and Félix María Del Monte request President Pedro Santana to commute the death penalty to exile for María Trinidad Sánchez, José Carmen Figueroa, Nicolás de Bari and Andrés Sánchez. Santana denies the request and the condemned are executed the next day.

1876: President Ignacio María González resigns from office, pressured by the Council of State Secretaries and the political leadership of the Blue Party. González faced accusations of violating the Constitution and embezzlement of public funds.

1884: Return of the remains of Juan Pablo Duarte. By order of President Ulises Heureaux (Lilís), the remains of the patriot Juan Pablo Duarte are repatriated from Venezuela, consolidating his legacy in Dominican history.

1890: General amnesty and return of exiles. President Ulises Heureaux grants a total amnesty, allowing the return of numerous political exiles.

1913: Through decree 5203, President Adolfo Alejandro Nouel Bobadilla temporarily orders the transfer of the Executive Power to the city of Barahona.

1930: Fall of the government of Horacio Vásquez. A group of insurgents armed with machetes and rifles enters the capital, forcing President Vásquez to leave the presidential house.

1935: Signing of a border agreement with Haiti. Haitian President Stenio Vincent arrives in Santo Domingo to sign a border demarcation treaty between both nations.

1966: Dismissal of Enrique Pérez y Pérez. Provisional President Héctor García-Godoy removes General Enrique Pérez y Pérez from his position as Chief of Staff of the National Army.

1970: Creation of the COURSE. The Southwestern Regional University Center (CURSO) is established, with headquarters in Barahona, expanding the academic offer in the region.

1973: In Mexico, the first episode of El Chavo del 8 airs.

1988: Balaguer receives support from the military forces. Amidst a climate of strikes and disturbances, President Joaquín Balaguer receives the unconditional support of the high-ranking military officials.

1994: Through Executive Decree No. 32-94, Juan Pablo Duarte is promoted to General of the Army (four stars).

2010: José D. Figueroa Agosto, wanted for drug trafficking, makes a call to the Z-101 radio station to deny the accusations against him and offer RD$90 million for the capture of the heads of the National Police and the DNCD. 2017: Donald Trump criticizes the election of Tom Pérez as chairman of the Democratic Party, calling it "rigged" and backed by Hillary Clinton. 2019: Odebrecht case shakes Dominican politics. Several defendants implicate the Dominican Liberation Party in alleged irregular electoral financing. 2021: Release of kidnapped filmmakers in Haiti. The release of the brothers Michael Enrique and Antonio Gerer Campusano Féliz, kidnapped in Haiti while working in a film production company, is confirmed. 2021: Dismissal of Health Minister Plutarco Arias. President Luis Abinader removes him from his position amid the health crisis caused by COVID-19.

International: February 26th Anniversaries

1616: The Catholic Church prohibits the book De revolutionibus orbium coelestium by Nicolaus Copernicus for contradicting the geocentric view of the universe.

1815: Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from his exile on the island of Elba and returns to France, initiating the period known as "The Hundred Days".

1935: Adolf Hitler orders the creation of the Luftwaffe, the German air force.

1986: In Japan, the anime Dragon Ball premieres, revolutionizing animation in the East.

1993: An explosion occurs at the World Trade Center in New York.

2012: Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez undergoes surgery in Havana to remove a cancerous tumor.

2014: NASA reveals that the Kepler space telescope discovered 715 new planets, of which four could be habitable. 2019: Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump meet in Hanoi, Vietnam, in their second summit to discuss the denuclearization of North Korea.

Births: February 26th Anniversaries

802: Victor Hugo, French poet and writer.

1876: Agustín Pedro Justo, Argentine politician and military man, president of Argentina between 1932 and 1938.

1902: Manuel Arturo Peña Batlle, essayist, historian, lawyer, and Dominican politician.

1932: Johnny Cash, American musician and singer.

1938: Néstor Toribio Iván García Guerra, Dominican actor, director, and playwright.

1953: Michael Bolton, American singer and songwriter.

1963: Nacho Cano, Spanish musician from the band Mecano.

1979: Corinne Bailey Rae, British singer.

1984: Natalia Lafourcade, Mexican pop rock singer and songwriter.

Deaths: February 26th Anniversaries

1981: Ángel Perdomo Bello, Dominican painter and independence advocate.

2001: Arturo Uslar Pietri, Venezuelan writer, journalist, and politician.

2016: Silvio Herasme Peña, Dominican journalist.