page_title: Manuel Rojas (independence leader)
section_title: Puerto Rico's independence movement
hierarchical_section_title: Manuel Rojas (independence leader) / Puerto Rico's independence movement
caption_attribution_description: English: Manuel Rojas's house in 1965
context_page_description: Commander Manuel Rojas was a Puerto Rican-Venezuelan commander of the Puerto Rican Liberation Army and one of the main leaders of the Grito de Lares uprising against Spanish rule in Puerto Rico.
context_section_description: Rojas admired Puerto Rican independence advocate Ramón Emeterio Betances and together with his brother Miguel, joined Betances in his quest for Puerto Rico's independence. A "Revolution Committee of Puerto Rico" was formed and directed by Betances and Segundo Ruiz Belvis, who were exiled, from the Dominican Republic. Several revolutionary cells  were formed in the towns and cities in the western part of the island. They were to support the armed invasion that Betances had planned to bring from the Dominican Republic.
  Two of the most important cells were that of Mayagüez, whose leader was Mathias Brugman and code named "Capa Prieto" and that of Lares, code named "Centro Bravo" and headed by Manuel Rojas. "Centro Bravo" was the main center of operations and was located in the Rojas plantation. Manuel Rojas was named "Commander of the Liberation Army" by Betances. Mariana Bracetti (wife of Miguel) was named "Leader of the Lares Revolutionary Council". Upon the request of Betances, Bracetti knitted the revolutionary Flag of Lares known as "La Bandera de Lares".
  The Revolutionary Committee named twelve of their members generals of the revolution. They were:
  Manuel Rojas, Commander in Chief of the Liberation Army
  Andres 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 Spanish authorities found out about the plot and were able to confiscate the armed ship which Betances had, before it arrived in Puerto Rico. The Mayor of the town of Camuy, Manuel González (who also happened to be the leader of that town's revolutionary cell) was arrested and charged with treason. He was able to hear that the Spanish Army was aware of the independence plot. He then escaped and was able to warn Manuel Rojas.
caption: Manuel Rojas house in 1965
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