Domingos Merino facts for kids
Domingos Rafael Merino Mexuto (born June 21, 1939 – died January 31, 2018) was an important Spanish politician. He was known for being part of Galician nationalist parties. From 1979 to 1981, he served as the mayor of A Coruña, a city in Spain.
Who Was Domingos Merino?
Domingos Merino was born in A Coruña. He became the first mayor of the city after Spain changed from a dictatorship to a democracy. This period is called the Spanish transition to democracy. He was mayor from 1979 to 1981. He represented the Galician Socialist Party (PSG).
He was removed from his position as mayor by a vote called a "motion of no confidence." This vote was led by the Union of the Democratic Centre party.
After Being Mayor
After leaving the mayor's office, Merino joined the Galician Socialist Party–Galician Left (PSG-EG). This group later became part of the Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG).
He served as a deputy, which is like a representative, in the Parliament of Galicia. He was a deputy from 1991 to 1993, and again from 1999 to 2005.
Ombudsman of Galicia
From 2005, Merino held an important job called the Ombudsman (in Galician, Valedor do pobo). An Ombudsman is like a public defender. They help citizens with problems they have with the government.
He left this job in 2012 because he had Parkinson's disease. Domingos Merino passed away at the age of 78.
His Love for Chess
Outside of his political work, Domingos Merino was very involved in chess. He was a very skilled player. He won the Galician chess championship three times. He also came in second place in a national chess competition. His official FIDE rating was 2266, which is a very good score for a chess player.
