The Unfortunate Fate of Chief Hatuey
Las Casas sailed to Cuba under the leadership of the Conquistador Diego de Velazquez. By this time the Tainos had begun to revolt against Spanish oppression and Velazquez had been charged with crushing the rebellion. Particularly, this expedition was organized to find the Taino chieftain Hatuey, who had been organizing resistance against the Spaniards. Once captured, he was condemned to be burned. Before his execution, a Spanish cleric begged Hatuey to convert and be baptized. Hatuey’s response deeply impacted Las Casas. Hatuey questioned the friar why he would want to be like the Christians, who were supposed to be good, yet acted so evil? He then asked if there were Spaniards in Heaven. When the friar responded that there were, Hatuey explained that he did not want to be anywhere where there were Spaniards. Hatuey was immediately burned to death. Las Casas would later record this event in his Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies. Unfortunately for the Tainos, Las Casas had only just begun to witness the brutalities he would later record.