▁The ▁old ▁divisions ▁between ▁Unit ari ans ▁and ▁Feder als ▁had ▁broken ▁down , ▁and ▁in ▁San ▁Juan ▁the ▁split ▁was ▁now ▁between ▁supp or ters ▁and ▁oppon ents ▁of ▁Ben av í de z , ▁ ▁who ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁threat ▁to ▁the ▁constitution al ▁government . ▁ ▁On ▁ 6 ▁September ▁ 1 8 5 7 ▁Manuel ▁José ▁Gó mez ▁R uf ino ▁was ▁elected ▁governor . ▁Gó mez ▁was ▁a ▁former ▁Un itar ian ▁who ▁had ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁May ▁ 1 8 5 2 ▁coup ▁against ▁Ben av í de z ▁and ▁who ▁was ▁supported ▁by ▁the ▁Liber als . ▁The ▁Liberal ▁minister ▁Sat urn ino ▁María ▁Las pi ur ▁used ▁his ▁newsp apers ▁ ▁La ▁Trib una ▁and ▁El ▁nacional ▁to ▁ag itate ▁for ▁removal ▁of ▁the ▁" ty rant " ▁Ben av í de z . ▁ ▁Death ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁September ▁ 1 8 5 8 ▁Ben av í de z ▁was ▁arrested ▁on ▁a ▁charge ▁of ▁sed ition . ▁On ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 2 2 / 2 3 ▁October ▁ 1 8 5 8 ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁his ▁supp or ters ▁storm ed ▁the ▁council ▁building ▁where ▁Ben av í de z ▁had ▁been ▁conf ined . ▁ ▁While ▁they ▁were ▁trying ▁to ▁break ▁in , ▁three ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁guard ▁went ▁to ▁the ▁room ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁being ▁held . ▁ ▁Ben av í de z ▁fought ▁them ▁despite ▁the ▁heavy ▁iron ▁fet ters ▁on ▁his ▁feet , ▁and ▁killed