La Provincia - Diario de Las Palmas
¿Conoces esta avenida de Gran Canaria? Pocos saben quién fue el hombre que le d…
Una historia de poder, política y olvido escondida en plena capital
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Unveiling the History Behind Las Palmas' Avenida José Mesa y López
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain – The bustling Avenida José Mesa y López, a central artery in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, bears the name of a pivotal figure in the city's history, José Mesa y López. Born in 1877, Mesa y López hailed from a family deeply entrenched in local politics, with both his father, Diego Mesa de León, and maternal grandfather, Antonio López Botas, having served as mayors of the Gran Canarian capital. Following his studies at the University of Granada, José Mesa y López rapidly ascended the ranks of insular politics. He became President of the Cabildo in 1916 and later served as mayor of his native city on two occasions: first in 1922, until the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, and again from 1929 until the advent of the Second Republic in 1931. During his mayoral terms, he oversaw significant infrastructure projects, notably the construction of a road to Puerto de la Luz. Despite initially supporting Franco's coup, Mesa y López failed to gain the trust of the new regime. He subsequently retired from politics, returning to his legal profession. José Mesa y López passed away in his hometown in 1951, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with the urban landscape and political history of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
