Search Famous Puerto Ricans

1851–1880 · Caguas · Poetry • Journalism

Born April 12, 1848 in Caguas. Died January 24, 1880 in San Juan. Born in Caguas, José Gautier Benítez is considered the greatest exponent of Puerto Rican Romantic poetry. His celebrated poems—including A Puerto Rico, Ausencia, Regreso, and La Barca—express profound themes of love, homeland, and identity. Despite dying of tuberculosis at just 28 years old, his work became a cornerstone of Puerto Rican literature and continues to be studied in schools throughout the island. Today, Paseo Gautier Benítez, one of downtown Caguas' most vibrant pedestrian streets, bears his name.