Manoel Soto Ferreiro (6 April 1944 – 27 November 2019) was a

Spanish Socialist Workers' Party The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party ( , PSOE ) is a Social democracy, social democratic Updated as required.The PSOE is described as a social-democratic party by numerous sources: * * * * List of political parties in Spain, political party ...

(PSOE) politician. He was the first democratically elected mayor of

Vigo Vigo (, ; ) is a city and Municipalities in Spain, municipality in the province of province of Pontevedra, Pontevedra, within the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Spain. Located in the northwest ...

in Galicia from 1979 to 1991.

Biography

Born in

Ourense Ourense (; ) is a city and the capital of the province of province of Ourense, Ourense, located in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, northwestern Spain. It is on the Camino Sanabrés path o ...

, Soto was a founder of the

Socialists' Party of Galicia The Socialists' Party of Galicia (PSdeG–PSOE; , ) is a centre-left political party in Galicia, Spain. It is the Galician affiliate of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). It defines itself as a Galicianist, social-democratic So ...

(PSdeG). In the first democratic local elections in April 1979, his party came second to the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) but governed through a coalition with three other left-wing parties, making him mayor. In the 1980s, Soto reformed the industrial city with new sculptures and projects, such as renovation of the Balaídos stadium for the

1982 FIFA World Cup The 1982 FIFA World Cup was the 12th FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial Association football, football tournament for men's senior national teams, and was played in Spain from 13 June to 11 July 1982. The tournament was won by Italy national footbal ...

. He sympathised with the ''

Movida viguesa The Movida viguesa (or Movida gallega) was an important youth cultural movement that took place in Vigo, Spain during the 1980s, coinciding with the Movida Madrileña (the "Golden Age for Spanish Pop"). By the late seventies, the industrial port ...

'' youth music and arts movement during the decade. He and his administration locked themselves in the city hall during the neo-Francoist

1981 Spanish coup d'état attempt A coup d'état was attempted in Spain in February 1981 by elements of the Civil Guard and the Spanish military. The failure of the coup marked the last serious attempt to revert Spain to a Francoist government and served to consolidate Spain ...

. Soto served three terms as mayor, all in coalition. He often clashed with

Manuel Fraga Manuel Fraga Iribarne (; 23 November 1922 – 15 January 2012) was a Spanish professor and politician during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, who was also one of the founders of the People's Alliance (Spain), People's Alliance (AP). Fraga ...

, the right-wing

President of the Regional Government of Galicia The president of the Regional Government of Galicia (, ), is the head of government of Galicia. The president leads the executive branch of the regional government. The current office is established under the Galician Statute of Autonomy. It is ...

, over investment. In 1991, he stepped aside for Carlos Príncipe as part of an agreement with the Galician Left (EG) and

Galician Nationalist Bloc The Galician Nationalist Bloc ( , BNG) is a political party from Galicia (Spain), Galicia, formed with the merger of a series of left-wing Galician nationalism, Galician nationalist parties. It is self-defined as a "patriotic Popular front, front" ...

(BNG). His own party Progresistas Vigueses earned seats in opposition in 1999 and 2003, and his reconstituted

Partido Galeguista Demócrata The Partido Galeguista Demócrata (PGD, ''Galicianist/Galician Nationalist Democratic Party'') is a Galician people, Galician Centre (politics), centrist political party that claims to be the ideological heir of the Partido Galeguista (1978), Par ...

was unsuccessful. In his final years, Soto was a political pundit on local channel Televigo. He died of

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

at the age of 75. His funeral was attended by incumbent mayor

Abel Caballero Abel Ramón Caballero Álvarez (born 2 September 1946) is a Spanish professor of Economics and since June 2007, the current mayor of Vigo, representing PSdeG-PSOE. Since 19 September 2015, he has also served as the president of the Spanish Fede ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Soto, Manoel 1944 births 2019 deaths People from Ourense Spanish Socialist Workers' Party politicians Mayors of Vigo Deaths from lung cancer in Spain 20th-century Spanish politicians