▁than ▁a ▁patri otic ▁ende avor . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁an ▁invasion ▁intended ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁May ag ü ez ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁island . ▁ ▁The ▁enter prise ▁was ▁conce ived ▁and ▁carefully ▁planned , ▁organized ▁and ▁directed ▁as ▁a ▁for - pro fit ▁commercial ▁enter prise ▁by ▁general ▁Henri ▁La ▁F ay ette ▁Villa ume ▁Duc oud ray ▁Hol stein , ▁a ▁Germ ano - F rench ▁veter an ▁of ▁the ▁Napole onic ▁wars ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁Boliv arian ▁wars . ▁ ▁Background ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 9 , ▁Duc oud ray ▁Hol stein ▁moved ▁to ▁C ura ça o , ▁there ▁he ▁began ▁social izing ▁with ▁wealth y ▁French ▁foreign ers ▁living ▁in ▁western ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁that ▁conducted ▁business ▁with ▁C ura ça o . ▁These ▁foreign ers ▁res ented ▁the ▁restrictions ▁on ▁commerce ▁and ▁sea ▁transport ation ▁by ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Author ities ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁as ▁a ▁consequence ▁to ▁the ▁ins urg ent ▁activities ▁of ▁Simon ▁Boliv ar ▁in ▁Venezuela . ▁They ▁court ed ▁Duc oud ray ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁military ▁experience , ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁making ▁him ▁interested ▁in ▁leading ▁an ▁armed ▁movement ▁to ▁in va de ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁to ▁convert ▁the ▁island ▁into ▁a ▁republic . ▁ ▁For ▁this ▁thus ▁group ▁of ▁foreign ers ▁would ▁give ▁him ▁support ▁in ▁any ▁way ▁possible ▁and ▁they ▁counted ▁on ▁a ▁simultane ous ▁general ▁re bell ion ▁organized ▁by ▁them ▁amongst ▁the ▁black ▁slaves ▁of ▁the ▁island . ▁Even ▁though ▁they ▁counted ▁on ▁the