The figure of José Gregorio Hernández (1864–1919) has been irreversibly etched in the collective memory as the quintessential humanitarian physician, the “doctor of the poor.” But another fascinating aspect of his life is rarely highlighted: his brief but significant stint in the military during the naval blockade of Venezuela from 1902–1903. His act of offering military service to the country adds a new dimension to the complexity of his commitment to his homeland.

In early December 1902, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy imposed a naval blockade on the Venezuelan ports of La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, and Maracaibo to demand payment of debts claimed by foreign companies, amid the so-called Liberating Revolution. They captured Venezuelan navy ships and bombarded the Puerto Cabello fort

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