El Pelú, Francisco Rodríguez.
Francisco Rodríguez. Native of Coruña, Spain. History does not allow us to be precise about his date of birth nor when he arrived at our city, much less when and where he died, but from generation to generation a legend has been transmitted about a man who was a self-styled missionary and preached on street corners, until in 1896-1897 when his sermons became offensive, the citizens protested and the town council decided to expel him from Baracoa.
It is said that whilst standing on the wharf, moments before boarding the boat which would take him into exile from our city, he said "In Baracoa many good plans will be made, many good ideas will be generated, but all of them will wear away, nothing will be achieved’, which pronouncement was thenceforth referred to as the famous Curse of the Pelú.