Antonio Imbert Barrera

Antonio was a leader in his land.

His family had many leaders. His father and grandfather were both in the army. His great-grandfather also fought in a big war.

Antonio helped change his country. He was part of a plan to stop a ruler named Trujillo. After that, he was called a hero.

Later, there was a civil war. Antonio led one side of the fight. He helped sign a peace act to end the war.

He lived to be 95 years old. He was a very important part of history.

Antonio Imbert Barrera was a soldier from the Dominican Republic. His family had a long history of leaders. His great-grandfather fought in a war for independence. Antonio's father and grandfather were also generals.

In 1961, Antonio helped stop a ruler named Trujillo. Trujillo was a dictator. Antonio was in a car that attacked Trujillo's car. After Trujillo died, Antonio was called a national hero. He was even made a Major General for life.

Later, a civil war broke out in his country. Antonio led one side of the fight. He led a group called the Government of National Reconstruction. This group had support from the United States. Antonio helped sign a peace act to end the war. He served as president for a short time in 1965.

Antonio lived a very long life. He served as the Minister of Defense later on. In 1970, his wife and daughter died in a plane crash. He died in 2016 at age 95. His death was caused by pneumonia.

Antonio Imbert Barrera was a famous military leader from the Dominican Republic. He lived a very long life that reached 95 years. He is best known for his role in changing his country's history. Imbert was part of a family with many important soldiers. His great-grandfather, José María Imbert, was a Major General. His grandfather, Segundo Francisco Imbert, was even a Vice-President. This long history of service shaped who Antonio became.

In 1961, Antonio helped lead a plan to remove a dictator. The dictator was named Rafael Trujillo. On May 30, 1961, Trujillo was shot during an ambush on a road. Antonio was the driver of one of the cars in that ambush. He worked with other men like Antonio de la Maza. After the event, many people in the plot were caught. Antonio had to go into hiding for a while. Later, he was named a National Hero and became a Major General for life.

Years later, a civil war broke out in the Dominican Republic. This war happened in 1965. Antonio led a group called the Government of National Reconstruction. He was one of two rival leaders during this time. His main rival was Colonel Francisco Caamaño. The United States sent troops to help during this struggle. Antonio eventually signed a peace act to end the fighting. Because of this, he served as the 44th President from May to August 1965.

Antonio's life had many different roles and challenges. He served as the Minister of Defense from 1986 to 1988. In 1967, he survived an attempt on his life in Santo Domingo. He had to drive himself to a clinic after being shot. Sadly, his family faced great loss in 1970. His wife, Guarina, and his daughter, Leslie, died in a plane crash. This plane went into the Caribbean Sea. He later remarried a woman named Giralda Busto Sánchez.

Many people remember Antonio Imbert Barrera today. His life is even written about in a novel called The Feast of the Goat. He died on May 31, 2016, from complications of pneumonia. This was just one day after the anniversary of Trujillo's death. The President of the country at the time, Danilo Medina, declared three days of mourning. His family includes many people who continued his military tradition. His son Antonio Segundo also became an army general.

Major General Antonio Cosme Imbert Barrera was a prominent Dominican military officer. He served as the 44th President of the Dominican Republic in 1965. His life was deeply connected to the political and military history of his nation. He was born on December 3, 1920, into a family with a strong military tradition. His great-grandfather, José María Imbert, was a Major General who fought in the Dominican War of Independence. His grandfather, Segundo Francisco Imbert, served as Vice-President of the Dominican Republic. This lineage of service heavily influenced his early life and career.

Imbert’s early career included serving as the governor of Puerto Plata in 1940. However, his relationship with the dictator Rafael Trujillo changed his path. Imbert was removed from his post after sending a telegram regarding survivors of a failed plot. This event led him to participate in a plan to assassinate Trujillo. On May 30, 1961, Trujillo was killed during an ambush on a road outside the capital. Imbert was the driver of one of the vehicles in the ambush. He worked alongside Antonio de la Maza, Salvador Estrella Sadhalá, and Amado García Guerrero. While many participants were executed, Imbert and Luis Amiama Tió escaped. Imbert went into hiding until December 2 of that year.

Following the removal of the Trujillo family from power in 1962, Imbert’s status changed. He was declared a "National Hero" by the government. He was also promoted to the rank of Major General. This promotion was granted "ad vitam," which means it was a lifelong rank. This period marked a significant shift in his public identity. He moved from a man in hiding to a celebrated figure in the Dominican military hierarchy.

In 1965, the Dominican Republic experienced a civil war. Imbert became one of two rival rulers during this conflict. He led a faction known as the Government of National Reconstruction. His main rival was Colonel Francisco Caamaño, who led the constitutionalist government. Caamaño sought to return Juan Bosch to the presidency. Imbert's faction received support from United States troops. Eventually, Imbert signed a peace act to end the April war. He served as president from May 7, 1965, until August 30, 1965. He succeeded General Pedro B. Benoit van der Horst, who had ruled for less than a week.

Imbert faced several personal and political challenges in the years that followed. In March 1967, he survived an assassination attempt in Santo Domingo. Supporters of the former dictator Trujillo shot him while he was traveling. Imbert survived the attack by driving himself to a medical clinic. In 1970, his family suffered a tragic loss in an aviation accident. A Dominicana de Aviación flight crashed into the Caribbean Sea. This crash killed his wife, Guarina Tessón Hurtado, and his daughter, Leslie Imbert Tessón. His son, Oscar José Antonio Imbert Tessón, later became an architect who designed the Punta Cana International Airport.

Imbert continued to hold significant roles in the Dominican government later in life. He served as the Minister of Defense from 1986 to 1988. During this time, he held the rank of Lieutenant General. In 1989, he was appointed chairman of the board of directors at Rosario Dominicana. However, his legacy remained a subject of debate. In September 2013, a foundation representing constitutionalist soldiers asked the National Congress to strip him of his hero status. They argued his support for the coup against Bosch and the U.S. occupation went against constitutional principles.

Antonio Imbert Barrera died on May 31, 2016, at the age of 95. His death occurred one day after the 55th anniversary of the assassination of Trujillo. His niece, Carmen Imbert Brugal, stated that pneumonia caused his death. President Danilo Medina declared three days of national mourning to honor him. His life remains a central part of Dominican historical study. He is even featured as a character in Mario Vargas Llosa's novel, "The Feast of the Goat."