Santo Domingo's Juan Pablo Duarte leads the effort to create a secret movement, dubbed La Trinitaria (The Trinity), in July 1838.

Its original nine members have organized themselves into cells of three; the cells go on to recruit as separate organizations, maintaining strict secrecy.

At the same time, the name clearly evokes the Holy Trinity.

Its motto is "Dios, Patria, y Libertad" (God, Country, and Liberty), and the movement's flag and shield have a cross and an open Bible—all of which will become national symbols.

Dominican nationality will become defined in religious and Hispanic terms, which permits contrast to Haiti.

As the country's principal enemy is the anti-Catholic and non-Spanish- speaking Haiti, and perhaps because the Catholic Church is very weak in the country, Dominican liberals are largely pro- church, in contrast to their counterparts in the rest of Central and South America.