102:, the governor offered 80 more jobs and a feeding program of "rice lab" (a porridge of sugar and boiled rice) and bread cooked in the washing pots. Many leaders of the Unemployed Brigade gave up hope and resigned. Soberanis called them cowards. He said he would continue fighting for the cause and was not afraid to die. In his most famous quote, he said, "I'd rather be a dead hero than a living coward." With his colleagues, he formed the Labor and Unemployed Association (LUA) which organized many boycotts, demonstrations and pickets against large merchants such as the B.E.C. (
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officers in the
Legislative Council. In addition, the LUA operated their own food program by organizing fundraising activities and collecting gifts from merchants and sympathizers who were not followers. They also operated a medical wing called the Red and Green Nurses, named after the colours of the LUA. The Nurses, headed by Cristobel Usher, dispensed free medical care to LUA members.
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weakened the LUA and caused many other LUA leaders to leave the group. He replaced them and continued his activism. In 1935 the
Government passed several new laws, including one banning criticism. When he made a speech in Corozal Town in October 1935 calling the large merchant stores "bloodsuckers" and the Governor and
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The efforts of the LUA yielded some good results: the wages of grapefruit dock workers in
Dangriga were raised from 8 cents to 25 cents an hour; more men were employed to work on the Northern Highway following the receipt of a BZ$ 250,000 grant; and partial representation was granted to the elected
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On 1 October 1934, Soberanis organised the first labour strike at the B.E.C. sawmill. It turned into a riot, and the police arrested 17 people. When he went to post bail for those arrested at the strike, he was himself arrested. The police refused to grant him bail and held him for 35 days, which
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and thereafter became a barber. He owned "The Panama
Barbershop," originally located on Handyside Street and then Queen Street in Belize City, which hosted many political discussions until it was boycotted in 1932 due to his political activities. He fathered ten children , first to Violet Garbutt
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The LUA movement was short-lived as there was infighting, leading to a split in the leadership. Soberanis's political activities continued up until 1942, when he left Belize to serve the
British military in Panama. In 1950 the movement handed over their political followers to the newly formed
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130:. At the meetings Soberanis campaigned for work for the unemployed and spoke against the Government. He also traveled to
146:"crooks," he was arrested again. He was charged with sedition, but was released after paying a BZ$ 25 fine.
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around 1934-35. With 1,800 registered unemployed in the country, an organization called the
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demonstrated for more work and better pay. After meeting with colonial
Governor
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April 14, 1975) was an activist in the
Belizean labour movement. He found the
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in 1934 to demand poverty relief work and a minimum wage. He was jailed for
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Antonio
Soberanis was born to Mexican parents in the Belizean village of
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to encourage support for the cause of higher wages outside Belize City.
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At the age of 78, Soberanis died and was buried at his farm in
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created terrible living conditions for the working class in
193:"Antonio Soberanis: The Labor And Unemployed Association"
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209:. National Institute of Culture and Heritage.
62:. His family had moved to Belize in 1894.
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122:. The LUA held large demonstrations at the
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270:British Honduras people of World War II
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260:Belizean people of Mexican descent
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104:Belize Estate and Produce Company
40:Labour and Unemployed Association
207:"Heroes and Benefactors Exhibit"
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195:. Journal of Belizean Studies.
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159:People's Committee, now the
65:He attended boys' school in
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126:, directly in front of the
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100:Harold Baxter Kittermaster
30:January 14, 1897 –
20:Antonio Soberanis Gómez
112:Hofius and Hilderbrant
161:People's United Party
56:San Antonio Rio Hondo
230:"History of Belize"
108:John Harley and Co.
78:The decline of the
265:Belizean activists
96:Unemployed Brigade
154:Ending of the LUA
16:Belizean activist
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124:Battlefield Park
116:Melhado and Sons
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84:Great Depression
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50:Personal life
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136:Corozal Town
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255:1975 deaths
250:1897 births
82:trade, the
67:Belize City
60:Orange Walk
244:Categories
174:References
128:courthouse
34:1975-04-14
26:1897-01-14
70:married.
46:in 1935.
144:the King
132:Dangriga
86:and the
80:mahogany
44:sedition
120:Brodies
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134:and
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