Political Activist
Upon his return to Puerto Rico he went to live in the city of Ponce, where he founded the paper El Día. He then married Guarina Diaz, the granddaughter of Roman Baldorioty de Castro. In Ponce, Canales joined the law firm of Luis Llorens Torres.
Canales, like so many lawyers of the time, wrote poetry of patriotic themes, collaborated as a journalist and took an active interest in politics. He joined the Unionist Party and served in the Puerto Rican House of Representatives. The Unionist Party promoted the economic progress of the working class. In 1909, he presented a bill to the House, which eventually was approved, giving women their full civil rights, including the right to vote. He also served as a lecturer in the School of Law of the University of Puerto Rico.
Read more about this topic: Nemesio Canales
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