This Tuesday, the Plaza del Ayuntamiento de Mieres hosted the farewell ceremony for Mayor Aníbal Vázquez, who died last Sunday at the age of 68. There have been many neighbors and representatives of political parties, city councils and other institutions who came to say their last goodbye to the former mayor of Mieres since 2011.
The president of the Principality, Adrián Barbón, participated in the farewell and tribute ceremony, asking to remember "Aníbal in every heart and in every gesture and in every anecdote." "This way we will keep him alive in everyone's memory forever," said Barbón.
The coffin of the Mierense councilor toured the square to the applause of the attendees and while the sirens sounded similar to those that marked the entry and exit of the miners in the mines.
Since the Mieres City Council confirmed the death of Aníbal Vázquez on Sunday, the condolences have not stopped coming. From national and regional politicians to the residents of the area, many of whom have passed through the burning chapel installed in the plenary hall of the town hall.
Aníbal José Vázquez Fernández (Uxo -Mieres-, 1954) was elected mayor of Mieres in 2011 after running as a candidate for mayor for the first time in the municipal elections on May 22 of that year. He revalidated his position with three absolute majorities achieved in the municipal elections of 2015, 2019 and 2023.
Married, with two children and two grandchildren, the mayor, a retired miner, was a union leader at Pozo Nicolasa and later held different responsibilities in the mining union of Comisiones Obreras both at the regional and national level, being the head of workplace safety for several years. years.
After his retirement he put an end to his union period and his civic commitment led him to play a prominent role in the council's association movement, from where he actively participated in different initiatives. He was one of the founders of the "Santa Barbara" Association, being the first president of this important group that brought together retired miners, playing a prominent role in the organization of cultural activities and the conservation of mining heritage.
He was mayor of Mieres for twelve years and one of the mayors who achieved the greatest citizen support in the country, revalidating his absolute majority for the third time last May.
They stand out from the council that governed "from humility, honesty, commitment and rigor." He "he opted for dialogue and agreement, defended the need for a fair transition for the mining regions, managed to unlock important investments for the municipality and opted for cooperation and loyalty with other administrations."
Aníbal Vázquez was second vice president of the FEMP, where he fought for fair financing for local administrations and worked to end the adjustment measures that prevented city councils from making the investments that municipalities needed. He also held different responsibilities at ACOM, where he articulated intense activity to unlock the Mining Funds and obtain more financing to make the economic and social reactivation of the Basins a reality.
