Maximo Gomez

Maximo Gomez was born in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) in 1836.
In 1865 he left the Dominican Republic for Cuba and became one of the leaders in the Cuban Wars of Independance.
Gómez joined the revolutionary leader Céspedes with the plan to overthrow the Spanish ruler.

Gómez was a gifted military leader with experience and made a rapid promotion to general and later commander of the Eastern provinces. Gómez organized the rebels in active guerrilla groups who continuously attacked the Spanish army.
After an initial success the rebels were pushed back to the Eastern provinces by the Spaniards. Gómez advocated to invade the Western part of Cuba in a move to liberate the black slaves working on the sugar plantations and to attack the economic interests of the Spanish colonisator.

There was a strong opposition against this plan and the invasion was postponed until 1875. The invasion ultimately failed and Máximo Gómez was forced to resign. Disappointed, Gómez left Cuba and met in October 1884 general Maceo and José Marti in New York and joined them in the organization of the war for independence.
After the death of José Marti in Dos Rios (1895) and later the death of Maceo, Gómez retreated to the Eastern Provinces.

In 1898 the United States declared war on Spain, the Cuban rebel forces joined the US army and defeated the Spaniards. After the American occupation Gómez was very popular in Cuba but he refused the presidency and supported Estrada Palma who became the first president of Cuba. Gómez died in 1905 in Cuba.

Related info and links:

Máximo Gómez
Máximo Gómez Airport
Havana streets:Avenida Máximo Gómez

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