The Occupation of Utuado

As a result of the Spanish-American War (1898) between Spain and the United States, the island of Puerto Rico became, since then, a territory of the North American empire. Julio Tomás Martínez (1878 – 1954) belonged to the ruling class of Puerto Ricans who longed for freedom from Spain, to then incorporate the island as part of the United States. Improvised roads were built for the American militia, which marched on horseback. Many of these improvised trails were made by hand with picks and shovels. These tools and roads appear in the lower part of the painting, next to the American troops.