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HONORING A RAIZAL LEADER: PROFESSOR JUVENCIO F. GALLARDO CORPUS

Foto del escritor: Jairo Rodríguez DavisJairo Rodríguez Davis

Actualizado: 29 ene 2024


(June 24th, 1938 – January 5th, 2024)

The Indigenous National Raizal Authority through the Raizal Council, and in conjunction with various organizations, pays tribute to our honorable leader and servant, Professor Juvencio F. Gallardo Corpus. In the life of the San Andres Archipelago, he will be remembered as one of the greatest champions of the Raizal cause, dedicating his life to respect, promote and preserve the Raizal People and their territory as an autonomous nation in the southwest Caribbean.


Professor Juvencio, as we affectionately called him, was a gifted mathematician by profession (master degree in physics and mathematics from the U.S.A.), with admirable intelligence. However, he chose to devote most of his energies to improving the social, economic, environmental, political, and cultural aspects of island life. He has lineage to next hero General George Hodgson.


Recognizing the need for collective action, Professor Juvencio co-founded the S.O.S. Movement (Sons of the Soil) to defend and promote the rights of the Raizal People, particularly the right to self-determination. He also founded the Ketlenan National Association (KETNA) and supported the AMEN-SD Movement.


Professor Juvencio believed firmly in the possibility of achieving internal autonomy within Colombia, where the Colombian government recognized and respected the Raizal People's right to self-determination. During the 1980s, he played a leading role in drafting the “Estatuto Raizal”, a legislative framework for Raizal autonomy.


He held his ancestors and island heritage in deep appreciation. He took pride in their culture, customs, and traditions, and fiercely defended the Raizal people's right to conserve and reclaim ownership of their ancestral lands and territory, including the sea. His ultimate goal was to honor his ancestors, restore their dignity, and secure the future for generations to come.


As a passionate advocate for the Archipelago's sustainable development, Profesor Juvencio Gallardo Corpus tirelessly fought against threats such as governmental corruption, rampant construction without proper planning, industrial overfishing, excessive tourism, and overpopulation.

 

His influence and contributions are evident in numerous achievements, including the Raizal Statute for Autonomy, the establishment of the Raizal Authorty and the Raizal Development Center, the development of a Population Carrying Capacity Model for the islands, the organization and discussions of the First Raizal Congress on 2002, the promotion of native-syle lodging for tourism, and the passage of important legislation like the inclusion of the Raizal People in the Colombian Constitution (1991), the identification of the Raizal People as "indigenous people", Law 47 of 1993 and Decree 2762 of 1991. He also played a key role in securing an injunction to suspend construction on the islands until the Government built specif Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, and provided significant contributions to launch and consolidate essential institutions such as CORALINA and the OCCRE.


Professor Gallardo Corpus was a tireless worker, a leader capable of inspiring others, with integrity, humbleness and trustworthness, admired and respected by many within the islands and beyond. His life of service was a testament to his genuine and unwavering commitment to his community, devoid of any self-interest. In honor of his work, we invite you, as indigenous Raizal people, to commit to conserving and perpetuating his legacy to achieve our goal of "self-determination".


We give thanks to our Creator for the life of professor Juvencio F. Gallardo Corpus!


ALBERTO GORDON MAY

Raizal Council (Raizal Authority)

JAIRO RODRIGUEZ DAVIS

Raizal Development Center

CORINE DUFFIS STEELE

AMEN-SD

BILL FRANCIS MANUEL

S.O.S. Movement

ENRIQUE PUSEY BENT S.O.S. Movement

LILIA BRIJALDO WHITTAKER S.O.S. Movement

BELARMINA BOWIE

S..O.S. Movement

ROLAND POMARE ESCALONA S.O.S. Movement

ALCIANO WILLIAMS JESSIE S.O.S. Movement

JUNE MARIE MOW ROBINSON Providence Foundation

JOSEFINA HUFFINGTON

Veeduria Civica Old Providence

ANGEL BRITTON HOWARD Veeduria Civica Old Providence

EDGAR JAY STEPHENS

Fishermen Federation from Old Providence

MARLON HOWARD

TREE AND REEFS Foundation

DILIA ROBINSON DAVIS ORFA

EDGARDO MARTINEZ MITCHELL

Raizal Diaspora

RALPH NEWBALL SOTELO Raizal Diaspora

CONNIE ARCHBOLD ROBINSON Raizal Diaspora

ELMER EUBANKS ARCHBOLD Raizal Diaspora

GLENN COE Raizal Diaspora

JULIE BUSH GARCIA Raizal Diaspora

Rev. and Mrs RONALD HOOKER Raizal Diaspora



LUIS McNISH

SAISOL Foundation

JOSEPH BARRERA KELLY SAISOL Foundation (ex)

LEPARD STEPHENSON STEELE

Barrack New Face

INGRID RODRIGUEZ MARTINEZ

RAIWOFD

JOB SAAS

RIMM

JIMMY GORDON Captain Morgan Ecological Park

MARCELINO HUDGSON REEVES Spiritual leader Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church

JOSE ARCHBOLD ARCHBOLD Spiritual Leader Star of the Sea Catholic Church

GERMAN McNISH WILLIAMS Spiritual Leader Lynval and Cove Baptist Church

EDBURN NEWBALL Spiritual Leader San Luis Adventist Church

IGNACIO BARRERA KELLY Spiritual Leader Central Baptist Church

RICARDO GORDON MAY Spiritual Leader Comunidad Cristiana

ELRU NEWBALL. Spiritual Leader Adventist Church








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