Betico Croes
Betico Croes (actually Gilberto François Croes , born January 25, 1938 in Santa Cruz , Aruba , † November 26, 1986 in Utrecht , Netherlands ) was an Aruban politician, activist and supporter of the independence movement on the island of Aruba.
Life
After completing secondary school in Aruba, he studied in the Netherlands at the Pedagogical Academy in Hilversum . In 1959 he received his school principal certificate. Back in Aruba, he began teaching at St. Joseph School and Antonius College in Santa Cruz.
In 1967 Betico Croes began his political career. In 1971 he founded the social democratic party Movimiento Electoral di Pueblo together with Watty Vos, Daniel Leo and Efrem de Kort . From the founding of the party, he was president and party leader until his death. In 1975 MEP became the largest political party in Aruba under the leadership of Betico Croes. As a member of parliament, he advocated separate status for Aruba in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 1976 the national anthem Aruba Dushi Tera and the flag of Aruba were introduced under his leadership . Croes and the MEP sought a separate status outside the Netherlands Antilles for Aruba within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
It was through his initiative that Aruba separated from the Netherlands Antilles . Betico Croes finally led the Aruba delegation in the decisive conferences in the Netherlands in February 1981 and March 1983, in which Aruba was able to enforce the desired separate status on January 1, 1986.
Croes was so badly injured in a tragic car accident on December 31, 1985 that he fell into a coma and died 11 months later. Betico Croes was therefore no longer able to experience complete independence on March 18, 1996. Betico Croes had two sons and two daughters.
He is referred to by his followers as the Libertador di Aruba . The most famous quote from Betico Croes is without a doubt: "Si mi cai to caminda, gara e bandera y sigui cu e lucha" (Yes, when I am fallen I get up, take the flag and continue the fight).
Posthumously
- Aruba's official national holiday is set for its birthday, January 25th.
- the main shopping street of Oranjestad was named after him
- a monument is located on Libertador Square in Oranjestad
- the square behind the Cas di Cultura (cultural center) is named after him
- In 1996 the Post Aruba issued a stamp with a picture of Croes
Web links
- Short biography Betico Croes
- Dia di Betico 25 di januari (papiamento)
Individual evidence
- ^ Leader of Aruban Independence Movement Dies. Associated Press , November 26, 1986. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
- ↑ Betico Croes on Historia di Aruba
- ↑ Betico Croes (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Croes, Betico |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Croes, Gilberto François |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Aruban politician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 25, 1938 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Santa Cruz , Aruba |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 26, 1986 |
| Place of death | Utrecht , Netherlands |