[2] From France, he moved to Cuba, then to Haiti and, definitively, he settled in the Dominican Republic, in the city of Moca, during the Haitian occupation.

[1][2] He supported the independence movement, led by Juan Pablo Duarte, and formed a cell of La Trinitaria in that city.

The Mocanos, led by José María Imbert, proclaimed Independence a few days after what happened at Puerta del Conde.

At the beginning of March 1844, days after Dominican independence from Haiti had been declared, Matías Ramón Mella became the governor of the district of Santiago and the highest military authority of Cibao, appointing Imbert as his lieutenant.

Imbert managed the defense of the city with the help of Fernando Valerio, Ángel Antonio Reyes, and José María López.