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

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

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 ...

' 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 i ...

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

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

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 democratic government in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931 after the deposition of Alfonso XIII, King Alfonso XIII. ...

. He subsequently took part in the elections of 1936 as a candidate for the Popular Front, being elected a deputy with the election victory the Front carried. When the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

erupted, Belarmino Tomás led the miners' militias attacking

Oviedo Oviedo () or Uviéu (Asturian language, Asturian: ) 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 th ...

(held by Antonio Aranda'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.

References

{{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