José Andino y Amezquita

José Andino y Amezquita (March 24, 1751 – 1835) was a nationalist and the first Puerto Rican journalist.

Early years Andino y Amezquita was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico into a prominent and wealthy family. He was a direct descendant of Captain Juan de Amézqueta, a Spanish soldier who defended Puerto Rico from an invasion by the Dutch in 1625. He was also the great-grandson of Field Marshal Gaspar Martinez De Andino, a Spaniard who was appointed by the Spanish Crown Governor of Puerto Rico and served as such from 1683 to 1685.

Andino y Amezquita received his elementary education in Puerto Rico and in 1765, was sent to Granada, Spain, where he continued his academic education at the "Colegio de Nobles Americanos" (College of Noble Americans), a military preparatory school. Andino y Amezquita served in the Spanish Army and eventually reached the rank of captain. He was a person of strong temperament and his disagreements with his fellow officers led to his resignation from the military in 1787.