The news spread like wildfire on Monday afternoon after the unexpected death of Tino Brugos became known. No one anticipated the passing of the historic social activist, who was found dead by his brother at his home in the capital of Cantabria, where he had lived since his retirement. Although he resided there, he remained deeply connected to Asturias, maintaining both union and emotional ties on both sides of the Deva River. The cause of death is still unknown and has plunged his many friends and comrades into deep sorrow.
Born in 1958 in Santander, Brugos came from a working-class family in the Peñacastillo neighborhood. The son of a bricklayer and a homemaker, he grew up in a largely apolitical home where football was the main topic of conversation. Despite that, he showed an early interest in the media and, even as a schoolboy, was actively engaged with the issues of his time. His time as a scout and his teenage years during Spain’s democratic transition led him towards the left, first to the Socialist Youth, where he even shared the stage at rallies in Torrelavega and Santander with Felipe González in 1977, and later to the extra-parliamentary left and social movements.
The Kurdistan National Congress issued a condolences statement that reads as follows:
“Dear Brugos family, dear friends and comrades of SUATEA,
It is with sorrow that the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) extends its heartfelt condolences for the loss of our friend and comrade Tino.
Since the 1980s, Tino Brugos has been a tireless defender of the Kurdish people’s struggle for freedom, taking on an active and courageous role even in risky situations, such as his arrest and expulsion from Turkey during the last election campaign.
His unwavering activism for Kurdish rights led him to participate in numerous meetings, conferences, and demonstrations, and he played a key role in the campaign for Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom, always with a calm, balanced temperament, yet firm in his convictions.
The Kurdish people have lost a great friend and a dear comrade. We share in your grief, while also celebrating the great fortune of having had him among us.”
* Foto: David Aguilar Sánchez – NORTES