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On February 10, 1869 the Spanish authorities discover the Conspiracy of the Biajacas. Its protagonists? Patriots of San Antonio de los Baños and Vereda Nueva, connected with tobacco workers from El Fígaro factory in Havana.
An amazing news arrives at the headquarters of the Spanish forces in San Antonio de los Baños. In the farm La Macagua, in the lagoon of Ariguanabo, a group of conspirators have lunch. Colonel Joaquin Recio del Manzano, lieutenant governor of the town, directs his troops to the place. Some patriots are arrested.
This meeting is known as the Conspiracy of the Biajacas because the only dish that those captured tasted were biajacas. The complaint involved the cooker of the conspirators and lawyer Pérez Borroto. In the following days, the persecution is unleashed and numerous patriots are captured and banished.
On May 21, 1869, the steam San Francisco de Borja sails from the port of Havana. On board, two hundred and fifty patriots, bound for the presidio of the island of Fernando Poo. Along with them, the parish priest of Guayabal, Jose Cecilio de Santa Cruz, arrested for political reasons. The journey takes place in the most disastrous conditions, suffering hunger, overcrowding and all kinds of offenses.
The island of Fernando Poo was located at the bottom of the Gulf of Guinea. Its coasts were muddy, very warm and damaging. In its forests inhabited boas, venomous snakes, leopards and tigers. The terrain was very rough and the approximate population was of 12,000 inhabitants, mostly wild natives. Its capital, Santa Isabel, presented a great insalubrity. The existing population suffered from fever, anemia, malaria and other diseases.
Brigadier Governor Sousa himself had sent a report to the Crown, requesting to be removed from there for lack of means of subsistence. Toward that inhospitable place, the Aiguanabense conspirators of the biajacas were sent.
