The Mirabal Sisters (Las Hermanas Mirabal)
By: Jennifer Lee Gutierrez | Friday, February 27, 2015
From 1942 to 1952, a Caribbean country in Central America, Dominican Republic, was under Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship. The citizens of the country suffered and experienced immeasurable daily pressure to satisfy the ruler’s every need. Those people who opposed what he stood for were imprisoned, tortured and/or killed.
Maria Teresa, Minerva, Dede and Patria Mirabal were four strong-willed and courageous sisters who grew up in a middle-class family with a business background. Their family, along with countless other families, were anti-Trujillo and his administration. However, very few dared to speak out loud about their true feelings. The chances of them being found dead would have been high if they inched any negative comments about the despicable ruler. Trujillo had vicious ways of treating people. He slept with anyone he wanted, he belittled anyone he thought was beneath him, he killed or sent to kill as if it were a daily ritual and other acts that only him and his team were aware of.
Three of the Mirabal sisters secretly lobbied in attempt to overthrow Trujillo any way they could. Being that the country’s tyrant had spies on every corner of the island, he was well aware of many of the plans that were up against him. The sisters were smart and had to remain rather tight-lipped about their schemes in order to be successful.
Trujillo was well known for sleeping with anyone he desired. If he saw a gorgeous young lady, he wouldn’t care what the father had to say or if she did not want to be with him, he took her to his bedroom and did whatever he wanted. It almost amounted to rape and none of the women could do anything about it. He was in charge of everyone and everything. One of the Mirabal sisters, Minerva went to law school and Trujillo found out about her. Soon enough, he wanted to have a romantic encounter with her. After she rejected him, he allowed her to earn her degree, but she was refused to practice law anywhere in the country. These actions brought the sisters together to work on ousting him.
The sisters created a group in which they named “The Movement of June 14th” in remembrance of a massacre that took place. They did everything in their power to gain the Dominican people’s trust and confidence to assist in kicking him out of his regime. After some time the sisters named themselves, “The Butterflies” (Las Mariposas).
Las Mariposas were also married and their husbands were involved in the same movement. Two of the sisters, Minerva and Maria Teresa, were incarcerated for some time, but surprisingly were not tortured. These women were sent to jail or prison numerous times. Nonetheless, their persistence to free the people from his threats was endless. They continued over and over.
Yet, later on, three of the husbands were sent to the worst prison in Dominican Republic, La Victoria Penitentiary. On a November 25, 1960, the sisters, Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa as well as their driver went on to visit the three husbands. On their return home, Trujillo’s men halted the sisters’ jeep. The ladies were dragged out and the driver was too. Everyone was separated and bludgeoned to death. The bodies were then placed back in the jeep and the deaths were made to look like an accident. The men made the jeep fly off of a mountain.
There was commotion in the nation about the “Butterflies’ and the Trujillo regime. About six months later, on May of 1961, Trujillo was murdered. Whether it was due to the death of the Mirabal Sisters, it is not clear. Nevertheless, many changes took place after their deaths.
One film that depicts what the Mirabal sisters stood for is, In the Time of the Butterflies.
From 1942 to 1952, a Caribbean country in Central America, Dominican Republic, was under Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship. The citizens of the country suffered and experienced immeasurable daily pressure to satisfy the ruler’s every need. Those people who opposed what he stood for were imprisoned, tortured and/or killed.
Maria Teresa, Minerva, Dede and Patria Mirabal were four strong-willed and courageous sisters who grew up in a middle-class family with a business background. Their family, along with countless other families, were anti-Trujillo and his administration. However, very few dared to speak out loud about their true feelings. The chances of them being found dead would have been high if they inched any negative comments about the despicable ruler. Trujillo had vicious ways of treating people. He slept with anyone he wanted, he belittled anyone he thought was beneath him, he killed or sent to kill as if it were a daily ritual and other acts that only him and his team were aware of.
Three of the Mirabal sisters secretly lobbied in attempt to overthrow Trujillo any way they could. Being that the country’s tyrant had spies on every corner of the island, he was well aware of many of the plans that were up against him. The sisters were smart and had to remain rather tight-lipped about their schemes in order to be successful.
Trujillo was well known for sleeping with anyone he desired. If he saw a gorgeous young lady, he wouldn’t care what the father had to say or if she did not want to be with him, he took her to his bedroom and did whatever he wanted. It almost amounted to rape and none of the women could do anything about it. He was in charge of everyone and everything. One of the Mirabal sisters, Minerva went to law school and Trujillo found out about her. Soon enough, he wanted to have a romantic encounter with her. After she rejected him, he allowed her to earn her degree, but she was refused to practice law anywhere in the country. These actions brought the sisters together to work on ousting him.
The sisters created a group in which they named “The Movement of June 14th” in remembrance of a massacre that took place. They did everything in their power to gain the Dominican people’s trust and confidence to assist in kicking him out of his regime. After some time the sisters named themselves, “The Butterflies” (Las Mariposas).
Las Mariposas were also married and their husbands were involved in the same movement. Two of the sisters, Minerva and Maria Teresa, were incarcerated for some time, but surprisingly were not tortured. These women were sent to jail or prison numerous times. Nonetheless, their persistence to free the people from his threats was endless. They continued over and over.
Yet, later on, three of the husbands were sent to the worst prison in Dominican Republic, La Victoria Penitentiary. On a November 25, 1960, the sisters, Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa as well as their driver went on to visit the three husbands. On their return home, Trujillo’s men halted the sisters’ jeep. The ladies were dragged out and the driver was too. Everyone was separated and bludgeoned to death. The bodies were then placed back in the jeep and the deaths were made to look like an accident. The men made the jeep fly off of a mountain.
There was commotion in the nation about the “Butterflies’ and the Trujillo regime. About six months later, on May of 1961, Trujillo was murdered. Whether it was due to the death of the Mirabal Sisters, it is not clear. Nevertheless, many changes took place after their deaths.
One film that depicts what the Mirabal sisters stood for is, In the Time of the Butterflies.