Pedro Zerolo

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Pedro Zerolo (2011)

Pedro Javier González Zerolo (born July 20, 1960 in Caracas ; died June 9, 2015 in Madrid ), known as Pedro Zerolo , was a Spanish - Venezuelan lawyer, politician and LGBT activist. He was involved in the introduction of same-sex marriage and adoption rights for same-sex couples in Spain and is considered a cult figure in the LGBT community in Spain.

Life

Zerolo's family comes from Tenerife . His father fled the Franco dictatorship to Venezuela and Zerolo grew up in Venezuela. After the introduction of democracy, the family returned to the Canary Islands and Pedro's father became the first mayor of San Cristóbal de La Laguna after the fall of the dictator. Zerolo began studying law at La Laguna University , graduating in 1982, and then went to Madrid to continue his studies .

In Madrid he became active in the LGBT movement; he held important positions in several organizations. First he was legal advisor to the LGBT organization COGAM . In 1993 he was elected chairman. From 1998 to 2003 he was chairman of the largest LGBT organization in Spain, FELGTB , and in 2004 he was elected to the board of the international LGBT network International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA).

He was a key figure in several important achievements of the Spanish LGBT movement. From 2001 he was involved in negotiations and discussions with the Spanish government on full equality of marriage rights for same-sex couples. When this took place in 2005, Spain was the first country in the world. In the same year he married his partner.

Zerolo was a member of the PSOE and in that capacity from 2003 until his death a city councilor in Madrid.

Zerolo died of pancreatic cancer in 2015 at the age of 54 .

Appreciation

His death was deeply mourned by the Spanish public. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy expressed his condolences to his family. Just one month after his death, the Plaza Vázquez de Mella in Madrid's gay district Chueca was renamed Plaza de Pedro Zerolo in memory of him .

The Cabildo de Tenerife declared Pedro Zerolo the illustrious son of Tenerife on June 14, 2019.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Juan Cruz: Análisis | Quedemos en la plaza de Zerolo . In: El País . July 25, 2015, ISSN  1134-6582 ( elpais.com [accessed March 26, 2019]).
  2. ↑ a b c d Emma Anderson: Remembering a pioneer of Spanish gay rights. In: The Local ES. Retrieved June 12, 2015, March 23, 2019 (UK English).
  3. ↑ a b c Biografía de Pedro Zerolo. In: PSOE. Retrieved March 23, 2019 .
  4. ↑ La Opinión de Tenerife: Fallce Pedro González, gran pintor y primer alcalde democrático de La Laguna. Retrieved March 26, 2019 (Spanish).
  5. ↑ Jessica Jones: Madrid plaza renamed to honor gay rights hero. In: The Local ES. July 22, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2019 (UK English).
  6. ↑ El Cabildo de Tenerife reconciles a Pedro Zerolo como Hijo Ilustre de la isla
personal data
SURNAME Zerolo, Pedro
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Hispanic-Venezuelan lawyer, politician and LGBT activist
DATE OF BIRTH July 20, 1960
PLACE OF BIRTH Caracas
DATE OF DEATH June 9, 2015
Place of death Madrid