Segundo Ruiz Belvis
Segundo Ruiz Belvis (May 13, 1829 – November 3, 1867), born in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico, was a dedicated abolitionist who also fought for Puerto Rico's right to independence.
Belvis received his primary schooling in Aguadilla. He graduated with a degree in philosophy from the University of Caracas of Venezuela. He also obtained his law degree from the Central University of Madrid in Spain.
In 1859, Belvis returned to Puerto Rico and took up the cause of abolitionism in the island. The first thing he did was to free the slaves in his hacienda. He then befriended Ramón Emeterio Betances and joined "The Secret Abolitionist Society" founded by Betances. The society baptized and emancipated thousands of black slave children. The event, which was known as "aguas de libertad" (waters of liberty), was carried out at the Cathedral of Mayagüez. Later, he moved to the city of Mayagüez where he established his law practice. Belvis was also named the Justice of the Peace by the city's citizens.
Belvis returned to Madrid in 1865, as a representative for the abolitionist cause in front of the Spanish Courts. Even though his ideas were viewed as dangerous by the Spanish rulers, it was nonetheless the beginning of a movement which would eventually lead to the liberation of the slaves in the remaining Spanish Colonies in Latin America.
Upon returning to Puerto Rico, Belvis found out that the Spanish appointed governor, José María Marchesi Oleaga, did not like the liberal ideas that Belvis and his friends had and they were all banished in exile.
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. 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.
To honor the memory of Segundo Ruiz Belvis, many avenues and a school in his birth town of Hormigueros have been named after him in Puerto Rico. There is a "Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center" in Chicago, Illinois and a "Segundo Ruiz Belvis Diagnostic and Treatment Center" in the Bronx, New York.