What is deguello de moca?

Degüello de Moca is a term that refers to a significant event that occurred during the Dominican War of Independence in the year 1845. It was a massacre of Spanish troops by Mocanos, which were rebel fighters from the town of Moca in the Dominican Republic.

The battle began on March 18, 1845, when the Spanish general, Antonio López de Santana, sent his troops to invade Moca, which was a key strategic location in the conflict. The Mocanos, led by the rebel leader Santiago Rodríguez, resisted the Spanish invasion and managed to defeat them.

After the battle, the Mocanos captured around 300 Spanish soldiers, who were then brutally executed as a warning to the Spanish forces. The execution was known as the degüello de Moca, which translates to "the Moca beheading," though some sources have suggested that the term may actually refer to a military bugle call.

The degüello de Moca became a symbol of the resistance against Spanish colonization in the Dominican Republic and helped to inspire other rebellions in the region. Today, the event is remembered in the country's history as an act of heroism and a turning point in the struggle for independence.