The Segovia Registration Scandal was a procedure opened on February 20, 1856, by the consular president of Spain in Santo Domingo,

Antonio María Segovia Antonio María Segovia Izquierdo (June 29, 1808 – January 14, 1874) known by his journalistic pseudonyms El Estudiante and El Cócora, was a Spanish journalist, politician and writer. As the Spanish diplomat to the Dominican Republic, his activ ...

, based on a false interpretation of article 7' of the treaty agreed between Spain and the Dominican Republic on February 18, 1855, which through simple registration in the consulate, allowed all natives of Spain who had resided in the Dominican Republic and adopted Dominican nationality to regain Spanish nationality. Registration in the Segovia registry equally involved older and minor children, who would adopt the nationality of the father and also gave the right to Spanish nationality to all Dominicans who requested to register their name in the Matrícula de nacionales of the Spanish consulate. This political event took place at a historical juncture in which a virtual struggle between European and North American powers to take control of the Dominican Republic converged, and revealed their intervention in the country's internal affairs. Furthermore, this registration was created in order to make the Dominican Republic lose interest in the negotiations it had with the United States, since Spain was very concerned because the president,

Pedro Santana Pedro Santana y Familias, 1st Marquess of Las Carreras (June 29, 1801June 14, 1864) was a Dominican military commander and royalist politician who served as the president of the junta that had established the First Dominican Republic, a pre ...

, wanted the help of a power so that the island could advance. Its other purpose was for Buenaventura Báez, the then overthrown president, to return to power through a coup against Santana.

References

{{reflist Political scandals in the Dominican Republic 1850s in the Dominican Republic Dominican Republic–Spain relations 1856 in the Dominican Republic Conflicts in 1856 19th century in the Dominican Republic 1856 in international relations Diplomatic incidents

See also

References