Antonio Barcelo

Antonio R. Barcelo (April 15, 1868 - October 15, 1938), born in the City of Fajardo, Puerto Rico, was a lawyer, businessman and the father of what was to become one of Puerto Rico's most prominent political families. He studied in the Concillier Seminary of San Juan and earned a lawyers degree. As a youngster, he took an active interest in politics and joined the Autonamist Party (founded by Jose de Diego and Roman Baldorioty de Castro in 1887) and soon became the party's Secretary. Barcelo left the Party and on October 1, 1899, together with Luis Muñoz Rivera formed the Federal Party, which believed in statehood with the U.S as the final political solution for Puerto Rico. After this party was dissolved, Barcelo, Luis Muñoz Rivera and Jose de Diego formed the Union Party of Puerto Rico and was elected to Camara of Delegates in 1905. In 1914, Barcelo, Muñoz Rivera and de Diego were members of an executive council that atempted to form an alience between the Union and Republican Parties. In 1917, after Luis Muñoz Rivera passed away, Barcelo became the leading force behind the liberal ideas of the island. He was elected Senator and then became the President of the Senate from 1917 to 1932. In 1924, the Alience Party was formed and in 1932 and was renamed the "Puerto Rican Liberal Party". The Liberal Party's political agenda was a acomplete 180 degrees turn around from the Federal Party's agenda. The Liberal Party fully backed up the idea of independence as a final political solution for Puerto Rico. By 1937, Luis Muñoz Rivera's son, Luis Muñoz Marín had joined the Liberal Party. Barcelo and Muñoz Marín had different points of view as to how Puerto Rico should go about obtaining its independence. Barcelo believed that independence should come after some reforms are met. Muñoz Marín believed that Puerto Rico should have its independence right away. This lead to a split in the Liberal Party. Barcelo was also a victum of an assination atempt but, this did not keep him from believeing and persueing his liberal ideas. Antonio Barcelo was responsible for the approval of many laws which lead to reforms and that would greatly benefit the social justice, labor and the economy of Puerto Rico. Barcelo helped to establish the minimum wage rate, work compensatiion and limited working hours. Barcelo, played a principal role in the establishmnt of the Tropical School of Medicine, The Antituberculosis Santuary and numerous other centers. In 1928, Columbia University of New York, honored Barcelo by bestowing upon him an Honorary Doctorate of Law. Ironically, his grandson Carlos Romero Barcelo would oneday in the future become Governor of Puerto Rico under the agenda of statehood, which Antonio had grown to oppose. Anonio R. Barcelo died in the City of San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 15, 1938. His memory has been honored by Puerto Rico by naming public buildings and schools after him.

Also see

• List of famous Puerto Ricans