| Guarionex | |
|---|---|
 Smithsonian 1901 map of Puerto Rico caciques | |
| Cacique ofMaguá | |
| Reign | c. 1492[1] - 1502 |
| Born | Maguá,Hispaniola |
| Died | 1502 |
| Father | Guacanagarix |
Guarionex (Taíno language:"The Brave Noble Lord"[2]) was aTaínocacique fromMaguá in the island ofHispaniola at the time ofthe arrival of the Europeans to the Western Hemisphere in 1492.[1] He was the son of caciqueGuacanagarix, the great Taínoprophet who had thevision of the coming of theGuamikena (White Men).
Since 1494 the Spaniards had imposed heavy tributes on the Taino population of Hispaniola. In 1495, Taino led byCaonabo raised up in arms but were crushed byBartholomew Columbus. Guarionex then opted for accommodation and appeasement but by 1497 the situation had deteriorated further. Guarionex then sided with Spanish rebelFrancisco Roldán and set out to attack the Spaniards. Columbus assembled his troops and attacked Guarionex's camp at night by surprise. The cacique was captured and his warriors dispersed. Guarionex was later released by Columbus and went back to his policy of appeasement. At one point he could not hold on to power and fled to the north of the island. The Spaniards captured him there and sent him in chains toSpain in 1502, but the ship sank during a storm.[3][1] Lost was a fortune in gold said byBartolomé de las Casas to be worth 3600castilians.[4]
At some point he fled to Puerto Rico and was cacique of Otoa (Utuado, Puerto Rico).[5]
Cacique Guariones is mentioned in a Puerto Ricandécima in the Journal of American Folk-lore volume 31, published in 1918.[6]
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