The Lares uprising, commonly known as the Grito de Lares, occurred on September 23, 1868, but was planned well before that date.
A group led by Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances and Segundo Ruiz Belvis founded the Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico (Comité Revolucionario de Puerto Rico) on January 6, 1868 from their exile in the Dominican Republic.

Betances authored several Proclamas, or statements attacking the exploitation of the Puerto Ricans by the Spanish centralist system and called for immediate insurrection.
These statements soon circulated throughout the island as local dissident groups began to organize.
Among them, Los Diez Mandamientos de los hombres libres (The Ten Commandments of Free Men) written in exile in Saint Thomas in November 1867.
It is directly based on the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted by France's National Assembly in 1789, which contained the principles that inspired the French Revolution.

That same year, poet Lola Rodríguez de Tió, inspired by Ramón Emeterio Betances's quest for Puerto Rico's independence, wrote the patriotic lyrics to the existing tune of La Borinqueña, Puerto Rico's national anthem.

Eduvigis Beauchamp Sterling, named Treasurer of the revolution by Betances, provided Mariana Bracetti with the materials for the Revolutionary Flag of Lares.
The flag was divided in the middle by a white Latin cross, the two lower corners were red and the two upper corners were blue.
A white star was placed in the upper left blue corner.
According to Puerto Rican poet Luis Lloréns Torres the white cross stands for the yearning for homeland redemption; the red squares, the blood poured by the heroes of the rebellion and the white star in the blue solitude square, stands for liberty and freedom.

Secret cells of the Revolutionary Committee were established in Puerto Rico by Mathias Brugman, Mariana Bracetti and Manuel Rojas bringing together members from all sectors of society including landowners, merchants, professionals, peasants, and slaves.
Most were criollos (Caucasians born on the island).

The Revolutionary Committee named twelve of their members as generales (generals).
They were:
Manuel Rojas, Commander-in-Chief of the Liberation Army
Andrés Pol, General of Division
Juan de Mata Terraforte, General of Division
Joaquín Parrilla, General of Division
Nicolás Rocafort, General of Division
Gabino Plumey, General of Division
Dorvid Beauchamp, General of Division
Mathías Brugman, General of Division
Rafael Arroyo, General of Division
Francisco Arroyo, General of Division
Pablo Rivera, Cavalry General
Abdón Pagán, Artillery General
The critical state of the economy, slavery, and the increasing political repression from the Spanish central government, served as catalysts for the rebellion.


The stronghold of the movement were towns located in the mountains, on the western part of the island.

On September 20, Francisco Ramírez Medina held a meeting at his house in which the insurrection was planned and set to begin in Camuy on September 29.
The meeting was attended by Marcelino Vega, Carlos Martínez, Bonifacio Agüero, José Antonio Hernández, Ramón Estrella, Bartolomé González, Cesilio López, Antonio Santiago, Manuel Ramírez, Ulises Cancela.
Cancela  instructed Manuel María González to deliver all of the acts and important papers in regard to the meeting to Manuel Rojas.

Juan Castañón, a captain stationed in Quebradillas, overheard two cell members commenting that on September 29 the troops at Camuy would be neutralized by poisoning the bread rations.
Given the fact that September 29 would be a holiday for most laborers, simultaneous uprisings would occur, beginning with the cell in Camuy, and following with the ones in various other points; reinforcements would arrive on a ship, El Telégrafo, and the cells would be reinforced by more than 3,000 mercenaries.
Castañón and his men then entered González's residence and confiscated the documents of Medina's meeting and alerted his commanding officer in Arecibo.
The cell leaders at the Lanzador del Norte cell in Camuy were soon
The Lares uprising, commonly known as the Grito de Lares, occurred on September 23, 1868, but was planned well before that date. A group led by Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances and Segundo Ruiz Belvis founded the Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico (Comité Revolucionario de Puerto Rico) on January 6, 1868 from their exile in the Dominican Republic.
Betances authored several Proclamas, or statements attacking the exploitation of the Puerto Ricans by the Spanish centralist system and called for immediate insurrection. These statements soon circulated throughout the island as local dissident groups began to organize. Among them, Los Diez Mandamientos de los hombres libres (The Ten Commandments of Free Men) written in exile in Saint Thomas in November 1867. It is directly based on the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted by France's National Assembly in 1789, which contained the principles that inspired the French Revolution.
That same year, poet Lola Rodríguez de Tió, inspired by Ramón Emeterio Betances's quest for Puerto Rico's independence, wrote the patriotic lyrics to the existing tune of La Borinqueña, Puerto Rico's national anthem.
Eduvigis Beauchamp Sterling, named Treasurer of the revolution by Betances, provided Mariana Bracetti with the materials for the Revolutionary Flag of Lares. The flag was divided in the middle by a white Latin cross, the two lower corners were red and the two upper corners were blue. A white star was placed in the upper left blue corner. According to Puerto Rican poet Luis Lloréns Torres the white cross stands for the yearning for homeland redemption; the red squares, the blood poured by the heroes of the rebellion and the white star in the blue solitude square, stands for liberty and freedom.
Secret cells of the Revolutionary Committee were established in Puerto Rico by Mathias Brugman, Mariana Bracetti and Manuel Rojas bringing together members from all sectors of society including landowners, merchants, professionals, peasants, and slaves. Most were criollos (Caucasians born on the island).
The Revolutionary Committee named twelve of their members as generales (generals). They were:
Manuel Rojas, Commander-in-Chief of the Liberation Army
Andrés Pol, General of Division
Juan de Mata Terraforte, General of Division
Joaquín Parrilla, General of Division
Nicolás Rocafort, General of Division
Gabino Plumey, General of Division
Dorvid Beauchamp, General of Division
Mathías Brugman, General of Division
Rafael Arroyo, General of Division
Francisco Arroyo, General of Division
Pablo Rivera, Cavalry General
Abdón Pagán, Artillery General
The critical state of the economy, slavery, and the increasing political repression from the Spanish central government, served as catalysts for the rebellion. 

The stronghold of the movement were towns located in the mountains, on the western part of the island.
On September 20, Francisco Ramírez Medina held a meeting at his house in which the insurrection was planned and set to begin in Camuy on September 29. The meeting was attended by Marcelino Vega, Carlos Martínez, Bonifacio Agüero, José Antonio Hernández, Ramón Estrella, Bartolomé González, Cesilio López, Antonio Santiago, Manuel Ramírez, Ulises Cancela. Cancela  instructed Manuel María González to deliver all of the acts and important papers in regard to the meeting to Manuel Rojas.
Juan Castañón, a captain stationed in Quebradillas, overheard two cell members commenting that on September 29 the troops at Camuy would be neutralized by poisoning the bread rations. Given the fact that September 29 would be a holiday for most laborers, simultaneous uprisings would occur, beginning with the cell in Camuy, and following with the ones in various other points; reinforcements would arrive on a ship, El Telégrafo, and the cells would be reinforced by more than 3,000 mercenaries. Castañón and his men then entered González's residence and confiscated the documents of Medina's meeting and alerted his commanding officer in Arecibo. The cell leaders at the Lanzador del Norte cell in Camuy were soon
Grito de Lares