''Luis Muñoz Rivera'' is a statue to the memory of
Puerto Rican poet, journalist and politician
Luis Muñoz Rivera
Luis Muñoz Rivera (July 17, 1859 – November 15, 1916) was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist and politician. He was a major figure in the struggle for political autonomy of Puerto Rico in union with Spain.
In 1887, Muñoz Rivera became part ...
located at
Plaza Luis Muñoz Rivera
A town square (or public square, urban square, city square or simply square), also called a plaza or piazza, is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town or city, and which is used for community gatherings. Relat ...
in
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce ( , , ) is a city and a Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality on the southern coast of Puerto Rico. The most populated city outside the San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan metropolitan area, Ponce was founded on August 12, 1692Some publ ...
. The statue is in
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...
. The statue's large marble pedestal follows in the
Beaux Arts architectural tradition.
Background
Luis Muñoz Rivera (17 July 1859 – 15 November 1916) was a
Puerto Rican poet, journalist and politician. He was a major figure in the struggle for political
autonomy
In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy is the capacity to make an informed, uncoerced decision. Autonomous organizations or institutions are independent or self-governing. Autonomy can also be ...
of Puerto Rico. In 1887, Muñoz Rivera became part of the leadership of a newly formed
Autonomist Party
The Autonomist Party (; ) was an Italian-Dalmatianist political party in the Dalmatian political scene, that existed for around 70 years of the 19th century and until World War I. Its goal was to maintain the autonomy of the Kingdom of Dalmati ...
and became delegate for the district of
Caguas
Caguas (, ) is a city and municipality in central eastern Puerto Rico. Located in the eponymous Caguas Valley between the Sierra de Cayey and Sierra de Luquillo of the Central Mountain Range, it is bordered by San Juan and Trujillo Alto to ...
. Subsequently, Muñoz Rivera was a member of a group organized by the party to discuss proposals of autonomy with
Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
Práxedes Mariano Mateo Sagasta y Escolar (21 July 1825 – 5 January 1903) was a Spanish civil engineer and politician who served as Prime Minister on eight occasions between 1870 and 1902—always in charge of the Liberal Party—as part of t ...
, who would grant Puerto Rico an autonomous government following his election. He served as Chief of the Cabinet of Mateo Sagasta's government. On 13 August 1898, the
Treaty of Paris transferred possession of Puerto Rico from Spain to the United States and a military government was established. In 1899, Muñoz Rivera resigned his position within Mateo Sagasta's cabinet. Muñoz Rivera then became a fierce advocate of the
Liberal Party of Puerto Rico
The Liberal Party of Puerto Rico () was a pro-Puerto Rican independence political party. The Liberal Party was founded in 1932 as a formal disaffiliation between two political parties which composed the political coalition known as the '' Alianza ...
and, on 1 July 1890, he founded the party's newspaper, ''
La Democracía'', in
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce ( , , ) is a city and a Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality on the southern coast of Puerto Rico. The most populated city outside the San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan metropolitan area, Ponce was founded on August 12, 1692Some publ ...
. In 1893, Muñoz Rivera married Amalia Marín in a ceremony that took place in
Ponce Cathedral
Ponce may refer to:
*Ponce (surname)
*Ponce (streamer) (born 1991), French streamer
*Ponce, Puerto Rico, a city in Puerto Rico
** Ponce High School
** Ponce massacre, 1937
* USS ''Ponce'', several ships of the US Navy
*Manuel Ponce, a Mexican comp ...
. Muñoz Rivera participated in the writing of the ''Plan de Ponce'' which proposed administrative autonomy for the island. In 1909, he was elected as
Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico to
U.S. Congress
The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both ...
and participated in the creation of the
Jones-Shafroth Act. Shortly after, Muñoz Rivera contracted an infection and traveled to Puerto Rico, where he died on 15 November 1916. His son,
Luis Muñoz Marín
José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín (February 18, 1898April 30, 1980) was a Puerto Rican journalist, politician, statesman and was the first elected governor of Puerto Rico, regarded as the "Architect of the Puerto Rico Commonwealth."
In 1948 he ...
, became the first democratically elected
Governor of Puerto Rico
The governor of Puerto Rico () is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. Elected to a 4 year-term through popular vote by the residents of the archipelago and island, ...
.
Description
The statue is the product of the foundry of Italian sculptor Luiggi Tomassi in
Pietrasanta, Italy. It is made in
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...
and was unveiled in 1923. It was installed on 28 November 1923. The statue's colossal pedestal is marble.
Luis Yordán Dávila, mayor of Ponce at the time, was one of the main proponents of the monument.
''Ponce: La Capital del Sur de Puerto Rico.''
Accessed 19 July 2017.
References
External links
''Estructuras y Monumentos en Puerto Rico.''
''Estatua de Luis Munoz Rivera by Los Amigos de la Plaza.'' 15 December 2011. Accessed 19 July 2017.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Luis Munoz Rivera (Ponce statue)
1923 establishments in Puerto Rico
1923 sculptures
Buildings and structures in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Monuments and memorials in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Public art in Puerto Rico
Sculptures of men in Puerto Rico
Statues in Ponce, Puerto Rico