Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo
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| Mayor of Marinaleda | |
| In office 6 May 1979 – 17 June 2023 |
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| Succeeded by | Sergio Gómez Reyes |
| Deputy of the Parliament of Andalusia for Seville |
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| In office 8 July 1994 – 12 March 2000 |
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| In office 13 April 2008 – 26 November 2014 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 February 1952 Marinaleda, Seville, Spain |
| Political party | Unitarian Candidacy of Workers |
| Children | Misrain and Libertad |
| Profession | High school history teacher |
Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo (born 5 February 1952) is a Spanish politician, a leader for workers' rights, and a history teacher. He was the Mayor of Marinaleda, a town in Spain, for many years, from 1979 until 2023. He also served as a representative in the Parliament of Andalusia for 12 years.
Sánchez Gordillo founded and led the political party called the Unitarian Candidacy of Workers (CUT). This party is part of a larger group and works with the Andalusian Workers' Union, which helps people who work in farming. He is known for taking strong actions to help working people in Spain.
He helped change Marinaleda from a town with a lot of rural poverty into a place where many people say there is "almost full employment." In Marinaleda, people often don't need to take out mortgages (loans to buy a house). The town has land that is owned by everyone together, and people earn similar wages. In August 2012, Marinaleda had only 5% unemployment, which was much lower than the rest of Spain at that time.
His Work and Ideas
Helping People Get Food
In August 2012, Sánchez Gordillo gained a lot of attention in Spain and around the world. This was because of his role in events at supermarkets in nearby towns like Seville and Cádiz. During these events, food items were taken and given to families in need or to food banks. The food included things like rice, sugar, pasta, milk, olive oil, and flour.
Sánchez Gordillo himself did not take the food. He was outside while members of his union carried out these actions. Some union members were arrested but later released. Sánchez Gordillo had special protection from being arrested because he was a politician. However, he said he was willing to give up this protection and go to jail for his cause. He believed that being jailed would help his message reach more people.
Many news reports, especially in English, said that Sánchez Gordillo was seen as a hero in Spain. Some even compared him to Robin Hood, a legendary figure who stole from the rich to give to the poor. However, some people, like Jonathan Blitzer from The New York Times, wondered if he would live up to the hype.
Spanish newspapers, including the center-left El País, also called him a modern Robin Hood. He was also called "the revolutionary of Andalusia." Not everyone agreed with his actions. Alfonso Alonso, a spokesperson for the governing People's Party in Spain, criticized him. Alonso said that someone cannot be like Robin Hood and also earn a salary as a government official.
March for Change
On 16 August 2012, Sánchez Gordillo began a three-week march to Madrid, the capital of Spain. During this march, he planned to visit banks and try to convince local governments to not pay their debts. He also wanted them to refuse to put in place strict money-saving plans. One of these actions included a short visit to a Unicaja bank branch in Mancha Real.
Images for kids
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Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo during a march.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo para niños
