Puerto Rican Independence Advocate
Upon returning to Puerto Rico, Ruiz Belvis found out that the Spanish appointed governor, José María Marchesi Oleaga, did not like the liberal ideas that Ruiz Belvis and his friends had and they were all banished in exile.
Ruiz Belvis eventually ended up in New York in 1866, where together with Betances and other patriots formed the "Comité Revolucionario de Puerto Rico" (Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico) for the independence of Puerto Rico. An outcome from this venture was the plans of sending an armed expedition to Puerto Rico in what was to become known as the "Grito de Lares". During this time Segundo Ruiz Belvis became ill, but this did not keep him from traveling to the City of Valparaíso, Chile with the intention of obtaining financial aid for the planned revolution.
Ruiz Belvis died in Chile and never knew that the "Grito de Lares" failed. He did not live to see his dream come true, the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico on March 22, 1873. Segundo Ruiz Belvis died November 3, 1867 in Valparaíso, Chile, suffering from Fournier's gangrene. He is buried in the chapel of the Cemetery of Hormigueros.
Read more about this topic: Segundo Ruiz Belvis
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