Belarmino Tomás

Belarmino Tomás Álvarez (29 April 1892 – 14 September 1950) was a

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...

politician. A secretary of the ''Sindicato Minero Asturiano'' (the local

coal miners People have worked as coal miners for centuries, but they became increasingly important during the Industrial revolution when coal was burnt on a large scale to fuel stationary and locomotive engines and heat buildings. Owing to coal's strategic ro ...

' branch of the

Unión General de Trabajadores The Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT, General Union of Workers) is a major Spanish trade union, historically affiliated with the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). History The UGT was founded 12 August 1888 by Pablo Iglesias Posse ...

, UGT), and a delegate to the International Miners' Federation. As a prominent labor organizer, Tomás led

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

s formed by workers during the "'' Revolution of Asturias''" of October 1934, being the president of the new revolutionary state (5-15 of October). He was a revolutionary not just to face only the right-wing government, but also the

Second Spanish Republic The Spanish Republic (), commonly known as the Second Spanish Republic (), was the form of government in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931, after the deposition of Alfonso XIII, King Alfonso XIII, and was di ...

. He subsequently took part in the elections of 1936 as a candidate for the

Popular Front A popular front is "any coalition of working-class and middle-class parties", including liberal and social democratic ones, "united for the defense of democratic forms" against "a presumed Fascist assault". More generally, it is "a coalition ...

, being elected a

deputy Deputy or depute may refer to: * Steward (office) * Khalifa, an Arabic title that can signify "deputy" * Deputy (legislator), a legislator in many countries and regions, including: ** A member of a Chamber of Deputies, for example in Italy, Spai ...

with the election victory the Front carried. When the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...

erupted, Belarmino Tomás led the miners' militias attacking

Oviedo Oviedo (; ast, Uviéu ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. Oviedo is located ap ...

(held by

Antonio Aranda Antonio Aranda Mata (13 November 1888 – 8 February 1979) was a military officer who fought on side of the Rebel faction in the Spanish Civil War. Biography Antonio Aranda Mata was born in Leganés on 13 November 1888. During the Morocco wars ...

's forces). He was voted President of the '' Consejo Soberano de Asturias y León'' upon its creation on August 24, 1937. In Gijón on October 20, the day the city was taken by Galician rebel forces, Tomás left for the Republican zone and begun Comisario General del Aire (general comisaire of the airforce), exiling himself when the Popular Front was defeated in early 1939. He was also popular because of the belarminos, the money that was used in his declared state during his presidency. {{DEFAULTSORT:Tomas, Belarmino 1892 births 1950 deaths People from the Province of Valladolid Spanish Socialist Workers' Party politicians Spanish military personnel of the Spanish Civil War (Republican faction) Exiles of the Spanish Civil War in Mexico Members of the Congress of Deputies of the Second Spanish Republic