January 29, 2024
This bronze statue depicts Juan Pablo Duarte (1813–1876), the liberator of the Dominican Republic. Italian artist Nicola Arrighini sculpted the larger-than-life-sized statue of a stately, bearded Duarte in 19th century garb resting on his cane and holding a scroll. Donated by the Dominican Republic, the piece was dedicated in the square on the 165th anniversary of Duarte’s birth, on January 26, 1978* and is one of a pantheon of six monuments to Latin American leaders that overlook the Avenue of the Americas.
As a young man, Duarte founded a society called La Trinitaria that sought to promote democratic ideals among the Spanish-speaking inhabitants of Hispaniola Island, most of whom were clustered around the city of Santo Domingo. In 1843 Duarte launched an attempt to free the eastern half of the island from Haitian rule. When the rebellion failed, Duarte fled Hispaniola. When a new revolution succeeded in winning independence for the Dominican Republic in February 1844, Duarte was invited to return as President of the new republic. Although he eventually lost control to a military dictator and died in exile, Duarte was instrumental in developing the Pan-American traditions of democracy and self-government celebrated by the Avenue of the Americas.
*Duarte Day, January 26, is a National Holiday in the Dominican Republic.
