Xosé Manuel Beiras, Galician nationalist leader, dies at 90

Xosé Manuel Beiras, a foundational figure in contemporary Galician nationalism, has died at the age of 90. He passed away in his home in A Reboraina, following a period of declining health.

Beiras was a central architect of the Galician political landscape, having co-founded the Partido Socialista Galego (PSG) in 1963 and the Bloque Nacionalista Galego (BNG) in 1982. After leaving the BNG in 2012 due to internal disagreements, he founded Anova-Irmandade Nacionalista, later participating in various left-wing coalitions. In recent years, he had reconciled with the BNG, supporting Ana Pontón’s candidacy in the 2024 elections.

Beyond politics, Beiras was a distinguished academic and economist. A professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela, his work, such as ‘O atraso económico de Galiza’, remains a significant reference in Galician economic thought. Political leaders, including BNG leader Ana Pontón and PSdeG Secretary General José Ramón Gómez Besteiro, have paid tribute to his intellectual legacy and lifelong commitment to social justice and Galician identity.