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<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-26/rafael-izquierdo-gutierrez.avif" alt="Rafael Gerónimo Cayetano Izquierdo y Gutiérrez" />
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(Governor-General Rafael Izquierdo)
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Izquierdo was famous for his use of "Iron Fist" type of government, contradicting the liberal government of his predecessor. He was the Governor-General during the <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/891/today-in-philippine-history-january-20-1872-the-cavite-mutiny-took-place" class="news_link">1872 Cavite mutiny</a> which led to execution of 41 of the mutineers, including the GOMBURZA martyrs. 
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Entering as a cadet in the regiment of infantry of Gerona, Rafael Izquierdo reached the military rank of captain by the age of 17 when he participated in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Carlist_War" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">First Carlist War</a> in Navarre. At the start of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Carlist_War" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Second Carlist War</a> which took place in Africa, Izquierdo was already a lieutenant colonel and at the end of the war Brigadier General. He was then assigned to Lugo, Spain as Military Governor in 1861. The following year he was assigned as Lieutenant-General to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico" class="news-link-ext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Puerto Rico</a> before becoming an interim Governor-General when <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/2802/today-in-philippine-history-july-9-1862-rafael-de-echague-y-bermingham-became-spanish-governor-general-of-the-philippines" class="news_link">Rafael Echagüe y Bermingham</a> vacated the position. Izquierdo then went back to Spain until in 1868 when he supported the revolution in Andalusia and was tasked as deputy for Malaga and Alicante in 1869 until 1871.
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September 30, 1820: Governor General Rafael Izquierdo was born in Santander, Spain