born July 17, 1859, Barranquitas, P.R.
died Nov. 15, 1916, Santurce
Puerto Rican statesman, publisher, and patriot.
In 1889 he founded the newspaper La Democracia , which crusaded for Puerto Rican self-government. He was instrumental in obtaining Puerto Rico's charter of home rule from Spain in 1897. He was president of the first autonomist cabinet, but he resigned after Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the U.S. His son Luis Muñoz Marín was governor of Puerto Rico.