According to historians, this event marked the beginning of Panama’s emancipation process from Spanish rule.

The uprising took place in La Villa de Los Santos, in central Panama, when a group of patriots, tired of colonial abuses and the disrespect shown to the civilian population, staged an uprising against the crown authorities.

Led by Segundo de Villareal and supported by the people of Los Santos, the insurgents took control of the town and signed the Act of Independence, which, according to studies, inspired the liberation of other communities such as Penonome, Nata de los Caballeros, Santiago de Veraguas, and Portobelo.

This movement is considered the starting point of Panama’s definitive independence, achieved on November 28, 1821.

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