Origins and family

Eugenio, (1865-1933) belonged to a legion of champions for the independence of Cuba. His father Francisco Sánchez-Pereira y Betancourt took up arms in Camagüey in November 1868 together with Major General Ignacio Agramonte y Loynaz.

Equally constituent of the Assembly of Guáimaro. His mother, María de la Concepción (Concha) Agramonte y Boza was one of the women from Camagüey who in 1851, when Joaquín de Agüero and his companions were executed, cut their hair in protest.

Later, when the Ten Years’ War broke out (1868-1878), Concha fought against Spain like one more soldier, accompanied by her husband and nine of her twelve children. When the war of independence was resumed in 1895, Concepción Agramonte, aged 60, could not take up arms. Due to her physical absence, she sent her children Eugenio, Armando, Benjamin, and Calixto to the Necessary War.

Participation in the War of 1895

Eugenio, a surgeon, joined the troops of Major General Máximo Gómez and participated in the Invasion of the West. On his merits he was promoted to colonel, and on December 4th, 1895, to brigadier general and head of the Military Health Corps of the Liberation Army.

His medical, preventive, care and organizational thinking allowed him to establish a Corps with doctors, dentists, pharmacists, and students of these careers, for the care of the wounded and sick. He founded blood banks, distributed medicines, surgical supplies among other contributions from abroad for the patriots.

Antillean vision

His vision was not only limited to Cuba. His independence platform was opened to the Antilles. Although he did not bear fruit in his actions in pursuit of liberating Puerto Rico, he had a meeting with Emeterio Betances in Paris, but he considered that beforehand the independence cause in Cuba had to be strengthened.

During the Republic

During the Republic, he was director of the Casa de Beneficencia. In the war of August 1906, the Veterans Council of the Liberation Army appointed him a mediator between moderates and liberals; but he failed in this task. On December 31st, 1910, he was elected Senator and on November 1st, 1912 and April 16th, 1913 he was elected President of the Senate. From August 23rd, 1917 to May 20th, 1921 he served as Secretary of Agriculture in the cabinet of the second government of President Mario García Menocal.

Death

He died in the city of Havana, on March 8th, 1933.

His mark

He put his life and his science at the service of the redeeming homeland.

Bibliography

Diccionario Enciclopédico de Historia Militar de Cuba. Primera Parte (1510-1898). Tomo I. Biografías, (2004) Ediciones Verde Olivo, Ciudad de La Habana,

Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García