Moret Law

The Moret Law was a form of freedom of wombs approved in Spain on July 4, 1870 for application in the colonies (mainly Cuba and Puerto Rico, because slavery had been abolished in metropolis in 1837) as a result of the efforts of Roman Baldorioty de Castro, Luis Padial, Julio Vizcarrondo, and Segismundo Moret. This law granted freedom to slaves born after September 17, 1868, slaves who served in the Spanish army (particularly those who fought in the Ten Years' War in Cuba), slaves over 60 years old (along with slaves who turned 60 thereafter), and slaves who were owned by the Spanish government. The Spanish government compensated slave owners 125 pesetas for each slave emancipated under the Moret Law. Slavery was abolished for Puerto Rico (but not for Cuba) in 1873 and finally, without exceptions, in 1886.

External links

• Text of the Moret Law (in Spanish) from the Internet Archive