Introduction:

the period of U.S. military occupation in Cuba officially began on January 1, 1899. Its main objective was to lay the foundation of the future neocolonial republic.

Objective:

to describe the behavior of Matanzas public health during the period of the US military occupation 1899-1902.

Materials and methods:

the historical descriptive method was used to study the behavior of Matanzas public health in the period of military occupation, and a bibliographic and documental review was conducted.

Results:

despite the social achievements- especially in the field of public health-, antinational measures and positions adopted by the intervening government found the rejection of the classes and sectors interested in achieving the absolute sovereignty of Cuba.

Conclusions:

the people of Matanzas made notable efforts to face the difficult sanitary situation opening hospitals and institutions which provided services, above all, to the poor sectors of the population, and to carry out a sanitation campaign to prevent the spread of diseases and epidemics.

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