Preceded by Luis Sanchez Morales Role Politician Spouse Mercedes Valdivieso | Name Rafael Nadal Died July 6, 1941, Guaynabo Succeeded by Luis Munoz Marin | |
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Full Name Rafael Martinez Nadal Born April 22, 1877
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, ( 1877-04-22 ) Books Federico Garcia Lorca and the Public: A Study of an Unfinished Play and of Love and Death in Lorca's Work Political party Puerto Rico Republican Party, Republican Union People also search for Jose Celso Barbosa, Leopoldo Figueroa, Luis Padron Rivera, Celestino Iriarte Miro | ||
Presentacio n del libro rafael martinez nadal
Rafael Martinez Nadal (April 22, 1877 – July 6, 1941) was a Puerto Rican politician, senator, journalist, and businessman. He was the third president of the Senate of Puerto Rico, serving from 1933 to 1941.
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Early years
Rafael Martinez Nadal was born on April 22, 1877 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. He was an orphan from an early age, since his mother, Estebania Nadal Freyre died hours after his birth, and his father, Rafael Martinez Santana, when he was only five years old. After that, he was raised in Maricao, Puerto Rico by his paternal aunts. He then studied in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Professional life
At the age of sixteen, his tutor sent him to Barcelona, Spain to study law. However, he interrupted his studies and went to live in Paris. He spent the next years between Paris, Madrid and Barcelona, where he was a businessman in fields as varied as bullfighting, meat distribution, theater production and coffee importation.
In August 13, 1904, Martinez Nadal returned to Mayaguez, where he dedicated to the business of coffee. He also became a journalist and joined the Puerto Rico Republican Party founded several years before by doctor Jose Celso Barbosa. In 1908 he founded the "El Combate" newspaper. In 1912, he moved to Ponce, Puerto Rico and began studying again, receiving his law degree. His practice became so prominent that, even decades later, many court observers quipped a popular rhyme in Spanish ("Temblaba la corte, temblaba el fiscal, temblaban los jueces, cuando llegaba Martinez Nadal" or "the court trembled, the DA trembled, the judge trembled, when Martinez Nadal arrived").
Political career
Martinez Nadal was elected in 1914 as a member of the Puerto Rico House of Delegates, the precursor of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives representing Ponce. As a member of the Republican Party of Puerto Rico, he was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico in 1920.
When the Union Party joined the Republican Party in 1924 forming Alianza Puertorriquena, Martinez Nadal left his party in disagreement. He then formed a party called the Partido Constitucional Historico, aligning with the Socialist Party of Santiago Iglesias Pantin. He was then reelected in 1924 and 1928.
After the Alianza disbanded, Martinez Nadal formed another party called the Republican Union, under his presidency. He was reelected in 1932 and was elected President of the Senate of Puerto Rico. He served as such until his death from cancer on July 6, 1941 in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.