Antonio Montesino's Defense of Indigenous Rights

In a famous sermon on the island of Hispaniola, Antonio Montesinos criticized the Spaniards for their cruel treatment of the indigenous people. He questioned the colonists' authority and asked if they saw the natives as equals. This sermon became a reference point for future struggles to protect the rights of the indigenous peoples. For Lascasus in particular, the question of loving them as oneself became a guiding principle.