The Mirabal Sisters

The Mirabal Sisters

The Mirabal Sisters were four women; only three were full of courage, bravery, and wonderful hearts. Patria, Dedé, Maria Teresa and Minerva are the four Mirabals. Patria, the oldest, was born on February 27th, 1924, which was the anniversary of her country’s independence, hence her name meaning “fatherland”. Dedé, her birth name is Bélgica, was born on February 29, 1925 (her birth was filed on March 1st so this is her legal birthday). Minerva was born on March 12, 1926. She was the first of the sisters to join the leftist way of government and tried to overthrow Trujillo, the Dominican’s dictator at the time. Maria Teresa, the youngest, was born on October 15, 1936. Minerva seemed to be the one strongest and most involved in this underground movement.

Their first encounter with Trujillo was when they were cordially invited in person with a letter to a party of Trujillo’s to celebrate Columbus’s of the Americas. This was interrupted by a storm and the Mirabal ladies left and apparently they weren’t supposed to leave before “el jefe” did so. A man associated with the women was arrested and not a day later Minerva and Doña Chea were arrested and questioned about their political activities. Minerva was accused of being a communist and was ordered to write a letter to Trujillo apologizing. She refused.

Trujillo

The Mirabal sisters and close friends and some family were constantly arrested for various ridiculous reasons. This was causing stress on everyone including their sister Dedé who chose a less confrontational path at getting back at Trujillo. But this led Minerva to stand out and do what she always had aspired to be, a law student. She was “barred” by Trujillo despite her good grades and mostly because of her thesis paper that gave her views on the regime’s ways and improvements that could be made towards basic human rights among others. Later she returned and graduated, and met the man she’d marry.

In the 1960`s, Trujillo was having an uproar of criticism and tried to quiet it with the assassination of the Venezuelan president, who was the major candidate for speaking his mind about the government. Trujillo was unsuccessful and this only caused more criticism. The Dominican Republic lost important allied nations' support, including the United States. During those hard times for Trujillo, the three daring Mirabals were murdered in 1960 on a remote mountain road because of their hard work and efforts in the underground resistance against the regime.

Museum

Dedé currently resides in their same city that they grew up in, Salcedo, tending to the museum that she put together in memory of her sisters and family name. All with poem, fiction, art, and even with an international day dedicated especially to them.

All of these amazing women stood their ground on issues important to them and others. The Mirabals were strong throughout their entire lives and died for what they believed was just. The government was fascist and they showed their views in most non-violent ways and because they had an opinion other than the regimes, they died fighting them. May they be blessed and show others that it takes strength and courage to be different and have a good head on their shoulders and it’s possible to make a difference.