The split was caused by the opposition of the Republican parties to Gualberto Gómez's radical position against the Platt Amendment.
In Havana, its members included Julián Betancourt, Alberto Barreras, E. García Enseñat y Asbert.
In Oriente, it was joined by Joaquín Castillo Duany (who had been the leader of the Democratic Federal Republican Party of Santiago de Cuba) and Rafael Mandulay.
In Matanzas, members included personalities such as García Pola, Manuel Sobrado and Juan Antonia Garmendia.
[2] Ahead of the 1901 presidential elections, the party was one of the main forces campaigning for the candidature of Bartolomé Masó.