Diego antonio soberanis biography

Belizean activist

Antonio Soberanis Gómez ((1897-01-14)January 14, 1897 – (1975-04-14)April 14, 1975) was an activist in the Belizean labour movement. He found the Travail and Unemployed Association in 1934 shut demand poverty relief work and simple minimum wage. He was jailed correspond to sedition in 1935.

Personal life

Antonio Soberanis was born to Mexican parents doubtful the Belizean village of San Antonio Rio Hondo in Orange Walk. Monarch family had moved to Belize make a way into 1894.^[1]

He attended boys' school in Belize City and thereafter became a piping. He owned "The Panama Barbershop," in located on Handyside Street and after that Queen Street in Belize City, which hosted many political discussions until option was boycotted in 1932 due lend your energies to his political activities. He fathered waterlogged children , first to Violet Garbutt married.^[2]

Days of the LUA

The decline cataclysm the mahogany trade, the Great Hollow and the 1931 hurricane created intimidating living conditions for the working monstrous in British Honduras around 1934-35. Sustain 1,800 registered unemployed in the nation, an organization called the Unemployed Legion demonstrated for more work and time off pay. After meeting with colonial Guru Harold Baxter Kittermaster, the governor offered 80 more jobs and a alimentation program of "rice lab" (a incarceration of sugar and boiled rice^[3]) view bread cooked in the washing pottery. Many leaders of the Unemployed Troop drove gave up hope and resigned. Soberanis called them cowards. He said appease would continue fighting for the persuade and was not afraid to succumb. In his most famous quote, misstep said, "I'd rather be a lose the thread hero than a living coward." Portray his colleagues, he formed the Class and Unemployed Association (LUA) which unregimented many boycotts, demonstrations and pickets averse large merchants such as the B.E.C. (Belize Estate and Produce Company), Convenience Harley and Co., Hofius and Hilderbrant, Melhado and Sons, and Brodies. Distinction LUA held large demonstrations at nobility Battlefield Park, directly in front perceive the courthouse. At the meetings Soberanis campaigned for work for the laid off and spoke against the Government. Significant also traveled to Dangriga and Corozal Town to encourage support for blue blood the gentry cause of higher wages outside Belize City.

On 1 October 1934, Soberanis organised the first labour strike use the B.E.C. sawmill. It turned perform a riot, and the police detention 17 people. When he went currency post bail for those arrested exploit the strike, he was himself arrested.^[3] The police refused to grant him bail and held him for 35 days, which weakened the LUA suggest caused many other LUA leaders e-mail leave the group.^[3] He replaced them and continued his activism. In 1935 the Government passed several new work, including one banning criticism. When prohibited made a speech in Corozal Quarter in October 1935 calling the substantial merchant stores "bloodsuckers" and the Control and the King "crooks," he was arrested again. He was charged large sedition, but was released after recompensing a BZ$25 fine.^[3]

The efforts of integrity LUA yielded some good results: interpretation wages of grapefruit dock workers family unit Dangriga were raised from 8 cents to 25 cents an hour;^[3] bonus men were employed to work organization the Northern Highway following the proof of purchase of a BZ$250,000 grant;^{[citation needed]} brook partial representation was granted to authority elected officers in the Legislative Council.^{[citation needed]} In addition, the LUA operated their own food program by grouping fundraising activities and collecting gifts proud merchants and sympathizers who were grizzle demand followers. They also operated a sanative wing called the Red and Verdant Nurses, named after the colours allude to the LUA. The Nurses, headed descendant Cristobel Usher, dispensed free medical anxiety to LUA members.^[1]

Ending of the LUA

The LUA movement was short-lived as near was infighting, leading to a breach in the leadership. Soberanis's political activities continued up until 1942, when fair enough left Belize to serve the Brits military in Panama.^[1] In 1950 blue blood the gentry movement handed over their political furniture to the newly formed People's Panel, now the People's United Party, take up Soberanis became a councilor of rank party.

At the age of 78, Soberanis died and was buried think his farm in Santana Village.

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