Soles y Rayos de Bolivar

One of early 19th century Cuba’s most important secret societies, it was founded in 1821 by Cuban Creole leader José Francisco Lemus (who had fought in Colombia under  Bolivar), Colombian revolutionary José Fernández Madrid, Haitian revolutionary Sévère Courtois, and the poet José María Heredia. Its name derived from its cellular organization.  Each new recruit (women were eligible) would enlist, rayos (“rays”).  The society appealed to Cubans of all classes, but especially to students and poor whites, who united with blacks to fight for independence.  Peddlers were used to spread the message.  While a knife was required equipment for all members, the group depended on members within the Spanish militia to provide arms at the time of the uprising.  This was to begin with the anticipated cession of Cuba to the United Kingdom and with the slogan “Independence or Death.”  A successful revolt would result in the creation of a “republic of Cubanacán,” which would maintain ties of friendship and culture with Spain, and particularly with Bolivar’s Gran Colombia.  The society was wiped out after about two years, when government spies had infiltrated it.  A dozen of its leaders, including Lemus were arrested in August 1823, but many others managed to flee abroad.

The conspiracy had its own flag, evidently based on the jack flown by Argentine warships.  Both flags have a golden sun on a white filed, but the Cubans replaced the very wide blue border (occupying half the Argentine flag’s total area) with a similar red one.