Juan de Fortes

Born in 1865 to a wealthy landowning family in Bayamón, Juan de Fortes—who later adopted the Americanized "John" to symbolize his political allegiances—became one of Puerto Rico's most controversial revolutionary figures during the Spanish-American War of 1898.

Educated in both Spain and the United States, de Fortes developed a complex political philosophy that initially supported Puerto Rican autonomy within the Spanish empire but later shifted toward advocating for American annexation, believing it would modernize the island and free it from Spanish colonial oppression.

When war broke out in 1898, de Fortes organized a network of local resistance fighters who provided critical intelligence to American forces. His group, known as "Los Halcones" (The Hawks), conducted daring operations behind Spanish lines, disrupting supply chains and communication networks.

De Fortes became legendary for his midnight raid on the Spanish garrison in Bayamón, where he and just twelve men managed to capture an entire ammunition depot without firing a shot. The Spanish commander reportedly surrendered to de Fortes personally, saying, "I would rather face the American army than the ghost of Bayamón."

After the American victory, de Fortes became disillusioned with the new colonial administration, which failed to grant Puerto Rico the independence or statehood he had envisioned. He spent his later years writing inflammatory political pamphlets and organizing peaceful protests against policies he deemed unjust.

His final years were shrouded in mystery. Some claim he reconciled with the American government and served as a secret advisor, while others believe he continued revolutionary activities underground. He disappeared in 1915 during a voyage to New York, leaving behind a legacy as complex and controversial as the war in which he fought.

Today, both independence advocates and statehood supporters in Puerto Rico claim de Fortes as a spiritual predecessor, each interpreting his complicated legacy through their own political lens.