During the final years of his life, he had become estranged from his
wife, Carmen Zayas Bazán. During this period he met a young Venezuelan
woman, Carmen Miyares de Mantilla, who ran a boarding house in New York
City. It is alleged by many historians that during this time he
fathered an illegitimate daughter named Maria Mantilla. Ms. Mantilla
was the mother of actor
Cesar Romero and Romero proudly
claimed he was the grandson of Martí.