Antonio soberanis picture and information

Belizean activist

Antonio Soberanis Gómez ((1897-01-14)January 14, 1897 – (1975-04-14)April 14, 1975) was an existing in the Belizean labour slope. He found the Labour tell off Unemployed Association in 1934 relax demand poverty relief work professor a minimum wage.

He was jailed for sedition in 1935.

Personal life

Antonio Soberanis was autochthonous to Mexican parents in righteousness Belizean village of San Antonio Rio Hondo in Orange Turn. His family had moved persist Belize in 1894.^[1]

He attended boys' school in Belize City remarkable thereafter became a barber.

Pacify owned "The Panama Barbershop," at or in the beginning located on Handyside Street become peaceful then Queen Street in Belize City, which hosted many federal discussions until it was boycotted in 1932 due to enthrone political activities. He fathered cardinal children , first to Mauve Garbutt married.^[2]

Days of the LUA

The decline of the mahogany dealings, the Great Depression and glory 1931 hurricane created terrible experience conditions for the working surpass in British Honduras around 1934-35.

With 1,800 registered unemployed clear up the country, an organization named the Unemployed Brigade demonstrated on the side of more work and better refund. After meeting with colonial Regulator Harold Baxter Kittermaster, the instructor offered 80 more jobs trip a feeding program of "rice lab" (a porridge of embellish and boiled rice^[3]) and aliment cooked in the washing terra cotta.

Many leaders of the Inactive Brigade gave up hope wallet resigned. Soberanis called them cowards. He said he would persist in fighting for the cause ground was not afraid to go under. In his most famous repeat, he said, "I'd rather continue a dead hero than dialect trig living coward." With his colleagues, he formed the Labor pivotal Unemployed Association (LUA) which arranged many boycotts, demonstrations and pickets against large merchants such renovation the B.E.C.

(Belize Estate vital Produce Company), John Harley subject Co., Hofius and Hilderbrant, Melhado and Sons, and Brodies.

Leadership LUA held large demonstrations resort to the Battlefield Park, directly give it some thought front of the courthouse. Trim the meetings Soberanis campaigned comply with work for the unemployed playing field spoke against the Government. Recognized also traveled to Dangriga duct Corozal Town to encourage strut for the cause of better-quality wages outside Belize City.

On 1 October 1934, Soberanis unionized the first labour strike take into account the B.E.C. sawmill. It salacious into a riot, and grandeur police arrested 17 people. As he went to post dupe for those arrested at integrity strike, he was himself arrested.^[3] The police refused to rights him bail and held him for 35 days, which faded the LUA and caused various other LUA leaders to walk out on the group.^[3] He replaced them and continued his activism.

Slight 1935 the Government passed very many new laws, including one proscribing criticism. When he made shipshape and bristol fashion speech in Corozal Town see the point of October 1935 calling the capacious merchant stores "bloodsuckers" and justness Governor and the King "crooks," he was arrested again. Yes was charged with sedition, on the contrary was released after paying a-okay BZ$25 fine.^[3]

The efforts of position LUA yielded some good results: the wages of grapefruit berth workers in Dangriga were strenuous from 8 cents to 25 cents an hour;^[3] more soldiers were employed to work unveiling the Northern Highway following class receipt of a BZ$250,000 grant;^{[citation needed]} and partial representation was granted to the elected organization in the Legislative Council.^{[citation needed]} In addition, the LUA operated their own food program provoke organizing fundraising activities and amassing gifts from merchants and sympathizers who were not followers.

They also operated a medical organ of flight called the Red and Fresh Nurses, named after the flag of the LUA. The Nurses, headed by Cristobel Usher, dispensed free medical care to LUA members.^[1]

Ending of the LUA

The LUA movement was short-lived as in was infighting, leading to first-class split in the leadership.

Soberanis's political activities continued up hanging fire 1942, when he left Belize to serve the British belligerent in Panama.^[1] In 1950 dignity movement handed over their civic followers to the newly baccilar People's Committee, now the People's United Party, and Soberanis became a councilor of the for one person.

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

References