Spanish
Santo Domingo.- The historical events of May 12th are marked by important historical events and international celebrations that left their mark on world history. Below are the main historical events of May 12th:
Saint's Day: Saint Cyril of Mesia
Nationals: May 12th Anniversaries
- 1502: The first Bishop of Santo Domingo, Fray García de Padilla, obeys a Royal Decree that orders the construction of the Cathedral and several Churches, as well as the San Andrés hospital, the second one, with the San Nicolás de Bari already existing.
- 1512: The town of Salvaleón de Higuey is erected as a parish.
- 1849: The National Congress accuses President Manuel Jimenes of exercising coercion against the Legislative Power, in a document read by the president of the organization, Buenaventura Báez.
- 1864: Several units of the Spanish navy arrive at the bay of Manzanillo, under the command of General Rafael Primo de Rivera, with numerous troops to incorporate them into the struggles against the Dominican causes.
- 1865: The steamship Isabel la Católica sets sail from Spain, with the order to withdraw the Spanish troops stationed in Santo Domingo.
- 1965: With the intermediation of his friend Jaime Benítez, Juan Bosch meets with lawyer Abe Fortas to discuss "the measures to be taken against the communists"; the immediate departure of invading troops and who would head the new provisional Dominican government.
- 1967: The head of the National Police, General Ramón Soto Echavarría, is informed by the Secret Service that "elements of the extreme right are preparing kidnappings of left-wing leaders, to create problems for the government."
- 1967: The concentration of troops supported by the Americans stationed in the facilities of the then Perla Antillana racecourse is increased.
- 1984: The Government orders the closure of two private universities, which it accuses of issuing "irregular" degrees, especially to foreign students.
- 1987: Thousands of people attend the burial of the real or supposed remains of the hero of the April 1965 Revolution, Colonel Fco. Alberto Caamaño Deñó, in a tomb adjacent to the common grave where dozens of constitutionalist combatants were buried.
- 1988: The Supreme Court of Justice sentences Rafael Flores Estrella, former Administrative Secretary of the Presidency in the government of Salvador Jorge Blanco, to nine months in prison and RD$15.7 million.
- 2004: As part of the prevailing political violence, the young Ambiorix Romero Soto, 21 years old, is assassinated while shopping in a grocery store in the capital sector of Villa María, an act attributed to "men wearing caps with the logo of the opposition PRD".
- 2014: As part of the "2013 Citizen Security Plan", at least 552 people are arrested, 51 vehicles and 869 motorcycles are seized during operations in several provinces.
- 2020: The ADFP reports the acquisition of RD$40 billion in bonds from the Ministry of Finance, to face the impact of Covid-19.
- 2020: A US team arrives in the country from Puerto Rico to mitigate the fire at the Duquesa landfill.
- 2021: Several people involved in "Operation Coral" are transferred to preventive prison, including Adán Cáceres and Rossy Guzmán.
- 2022: Miami investment group with Alex Rodriguez buys the Trump International Hotel in Washington for US$375 million.
- 2022: Haitian police prevent the kidnapping of a bus bound for the Dominican Republic by the 400 Mawozo gang.
International: May 12th Anniversaries
- 1492: Christopher Columbus leaves Granada for Palos de Moguer to begin his expedition to the West Indies.
- 1497: Pope Alexander VI excommunicates the Dominican Savonarola.
- 1889: In Puerto Rico, the U.S. fleet commanded by Admiral Sampson bombs the city of San Juan.
- 1898: Admiral Thomas Sampson's squadron bombs San Juan, causing deaths and injuries among civilians and military personnel.
- 1927: In Nicaragua, Augusto César Sandino begins his fight against U.S. intervention.
- 1937: George VI is crowned King of England.
- 1961: JFK approves clandestine operations in North Vietnam and Laos.
- 1963: The Panama Canal begins 24-hour operations.
- 1971: The Chilean Parliament approves the nationalization of copper mines.
- 1972: Salvador Allende nationalizes the ITT telephone company.
- 1976: The PLO is represented for the first time in the Security Council of the UN.
- 2003: Two Chechen women cause an explosion in Znamenskoye, Chechnya, causing 60 deaths.
- 2005: Mexico reacts to the expansion of the border wall in California by the U.S.
- 2006: Clashes in Sao Paulo leave nearly 200 dead.
- 2006: In Lagos, Nigeria, at least 300 people die from a pipeline explosion.
- 2007: Taiwan's Prime Minister, Su Tseng-chang, resigns.
- 2008: Earthquake of 7.8 degrees causes more than 8,550 deaths in China.
- 2010: Libyan plane crashes in Tripoli, 104 people die; a Dutch child survives.
- 2014: Nobel Peace Prize winners and professors call for the expulsion of members linked to the CIA and NATO from human rights organizations.
- 2016: Brazilian Senate approves impeachment proceedings against Dilma Rousseff.
- 2019: Venezuelan General Ramón Rangel calls on the Armed Forces not to be subservient to a political bias.
- 2020: WHO confirms that America becomes the new epicenter of COVID-19.
- 2020: The crew of the Greg Mortimer cruise ship disembarks in Uruguay after 7 weeks stranded.
- 2021: Bolivian Prosecutor's Office investigates Jeanine Áñez for presidential self-proclamation.
- 2021: U.S. Attorney's Office reveals plea agreement of drug trafficker Román Narváez Ansazoy.
- 2022: Vladimir Putin accuses the West of sacrificing the world in order to maintain its global dominance.
Births: May 12th Anniversaries
- 1820: Florence Nightingale, founder of Modern Nursing, was born.
- 1895: William Francis Giauque, American chemist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1949.
- 1930: Tirofijo (Manuel Marulanda Vélez), Colombian guerrilla, commander of the FARC.
- 1975: Jared Polis, American politician, businessman, and philanthropist, Governor of Colorado since 2019.
- 1998: Mohamed Bamba, American basketball player.
Deaths: May 12th Anniversaries
- 1850: Frances Sargent Osgood, American poet, alleged affair of Edgar Allan Poe.
- 1994: Erik Erikson, German-born American psychoanalyst.
- 2014: Jacinto Convit, Venezuelan doctor and researcher, Prince of Asturias Award.
- 2023: Bruce John Robertson (71), New Zealand rugby player.
