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José María Cabral

General José María Cabral y Luna (December 12, 1816 - February 28, 1899) was a Dominican military figure and politician. He was the de facto president of the Dominican Republic in 1865 and was the official president between 1866 and 1868.

He was born on December 12, 1816 in Ingenio Nuevo, a town in the province of San Cristobal. He was involved in his country's independence from Haiti and the resistance to the restoration war.

He accompanied Francisco del Rosario Sánchez on the expedition that entered the Dominican Republic from Haití through El Cercado to combat Spanish annexation.

First Government ( de facto )
On August 4, 1865 he carried out a coup d'État financed by his consuegro (father of his son/daughter-in-law), Buenaventura Báez, overthrowing General Pedro Pimentel just a month after the Spanish Governor and his troops evacuated the country after the dissemination of the decree signed by Queen Isabella II of Spain in March, which recognized the independence of the Dominican Republic.

After the coup, he was proclaimed "Protector of the Republic" so that he could rule until the establishment of a new government, which was chosen on November 14, 1865 by the National Assembly. Buenaventura Báez, who at the time was in exile, was designated as president. [General Pedro Guillermo], governor of El Seybo, was provisionally chosen as chief executive until Baez's arrival. The next day, María Cabral left for Curaçao in search of the president-designate, managing to return on December 8 of the same year. President Baez immediately named him Secretary of War (equivalent of Defence Minister).

On August 17, 1865 President Cabral abolished capital punishment and banishment in the Dominican Republic. Also noteworthy from his first term were the efforts that were made in support of drafting a constitution which gave universal suffrage to Dominican men over the age of 18.

Second Government ( constitutional )
On May 28,1866, after a revolution headed by General Gregorio Luperón, leader of the movement for independence from Spain, General Báez stepped down and called for elections in September of the same year. José María Cabral was elected. He was the first Dominican president to be chosen by universal male vote without the censitary suffrage that granted the right only to the rich.

José María Cabral returned to power on August 22, 1866 as Chief Executive and assumed the constitutional presidency of the republic on September 29 of the same year.

On December 31, 1866 the Professional Institute (currently: the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo UASD) was created by executive order and under his mandate.

During his administration he tried to lease Samaná Bay to the USA and was overthrown by a rebellion.

Death
José María Cabral died in Santo Domingo on February 28, 1899.