Which Spanish general was known for his brutal reconcentration policy in Cuba?

Valeriano Weyler was the Spanish general associated with the brutal reconcentration policy in Cuba. Appointed governor-general and military commander in 1896, Weyler tried to defeat Cuban rebels by separating them from the rural population that supplied and sheltered them.

Under the policy, rural Cubans were ordered to move into fortified towns and designated camps, often within eight days. Spanish authorities restricted movement, destroyed or confiscated rural resources, and provided inadequate food and housing. Disease and starvation spread rapidly among the displaced civilians.

The policy weakened the rebels' access to supplies but caused enormous civilian suffering and intensified opposition to Spanish rule. American newspapers portrayed Weyler as “the Butcher,” helping fuel anti-Spanish sentiment in the United States. Weyler was recalled in 1897 and replaced by the more conciliatory Ramón Blanco. The policy is sometimes confused with later reconcentration measures, but Weyler is the figure most directly identified with its implementation in Cuba.