July 15, 1876. Juan Pablo Duarte y Díez, founder of the Dominican Republic and main ideologue of the independence movement that gave rise to the nation on February 27, 1844, passes away in Caracas, Venezuela.
Duarte died at the age of 63 in exile, after dedicating a large part of his life to the struggle for the freedom and sovereignty of the Dominican people. Persecuted for his ideals and expelled from the country on several occasions, he spent his final years in Venezuela, where he resided until his passing.
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His legacy remains a symbol of patriotism, honesty, and commitment to national independence. In 1884, eight years after his death, his remains were repatriated to the Dominican Republic and today they rest in the Altar of the Fatherland, alongside those of Francisco del Rosario Sánchez and Ramón Matías Mella, the other two Founding Fathers of the Nation.
Every July 15th, Dominicans remember the passing of Juan Pablo Duarte, whose thought and example continue to be fundamental pillars of the national identity and history.
