Francisco María Susoni Abreu (September 11, 1875 – November 28, 1954) was a
Puerto Rican politician and
senator. He was a member of the
first Puerto Rican Senate formed in 1917, representing the
District of Arecibo. He returned to politics in the 1940s, and was elected again as senator for the
Popular Democratic Party (PPD). Dr. Susoni was the first candidate for governor of the Puerto Rican Independence Party in 1948, political party founded in 1946 in spite of all the obstacles imposed by the colonial establishment.
Biography
Francisco Susoni Abreu was born in
Hatillo,
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
, on September 11, 1875. He studied medicine at
University of Santiago de Compostela
, established =
, type = Public
, budget = €228 million (2011)
, rector = Prof. Dr. Antonio López Díaz
, city = Santiago de Compostela
, state = Galicia
, country = Spain
, undergrad = 23,835
, postgrad = 1,716
, doctoral = 2,697
...
in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, graduating in 1899.
In 1917, Susoni was elected to the
first Puerto Rican Senate, representing the
District of Arecibo for the
Union of Puerto Rico party.
Susoni was part of the Board of the Union party, but he parted ways with it in 1929 when the party joined the
Republican Party. In 1932, he joined the
Liberal Party of Puerto Rico
The Liberal Party of Puerto Rico () was a pro-independence political party. The Liberal Party was founded in 1932 as a formal disaffiliation between two political parties which composed the political coalition known as the '' Alianza'' (Alliance). ...
, but in 1936 he joined the faction led by
Luis Muñoz Marín
José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín (February 18, 1898April 30, 1980) was a Puerto Rican journalist, politician, statesman and was the first elected governor of Puerto Rico, regarded as the "Architect of the Puerto Rico Commonwealth."
In 1948 he ...
demanding independence to the island.
Susoni was a participant in the founding of the
Popular Democratic Party in 1938 and was reelected to the
Senate of Puerto Rico
The Senate of Puerto Rico ( es, Senado de Puerto Rico) is the upper house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the territorial legislature of Puerto Rico. The Senate, together with the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, control t ...
in 1940. He served as its
President pro tempore from 1941 to 1944. He was reelected in 1944, but was asked by his party to join the
Puerto Rico House of Representatives
The House of Representatives of Puerto Rico ( es, Cámara de Representantes de Puerto Rico) is the lower house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the bicameral territorial legislature of Puerto Rico. The House, together with the Sen ...
instead. Susoni served as Speaker of the House in 1945.
Due to differences with the leadership, Susoni resigned his seat on June 5, 1948, and joined the newly established
Puerto Rican Independence Party
The Puerto Rican Independence Party ( es, Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño, PIP) is a social-democratic political party in Puerto Rico that campaigns for the independence of Puerto Rico from the United States.
Those who follow the PIP ...
. He was their candidate for
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
at the
1948 general elections.
Susoni died on November 28, 1954, in
Arecibo, Puerto Rico.
See also
*
List of Puerto Ricans
References
External links
Biografía de Francisco Susoni Abreu
{{DEFAULTSORT:Susoni Abreu, Francisco M.
1875 births
Members of the Senate of Puerto Rico
People from Hatillo, Puerto Rico
Presidents pro tempore of the Senate of Puerto Rico
1954 deaths
Speakers of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico
Union of Puerto Rico politicians