In 2007, the province of Salcedo was officially renamed Hermanas Mirabal in honor  of the three Mirabal sisters, who heroically defied the dictator Rafael Leonidas  Trujillo and were assassinated by his minions in 1960. To this day, neighboring  cacao farmers treasure a special link with the Mirabal family, who also grew cacao.  The farmers’ commitment to biodiversity preserves one side of the Mirabal sisters’  legacy: respect for all forms of life.