XOSÉ VELO EXHIBITION

The Town Council of Quintela de Leirado is opening an exhibition dedicated to the figure of Xosé Velo Mosquera, an intellectual, political activist, and a reference figure in historical Galicianism, whose life and political trajectory maintain a close relationship with Equatorial Guinea, then known as Fernando Poo.

The exhibition traces the life and thought of Xosé Velo, paying special attention to his political, cultural, and social commitment, as well as his period of exile, a key period for understanding both his ideological evolution and the international dimension of historic Galicianism. In this context, the exhibition highlights his presence in Fernando Poo, a territory that welcomed numerous Galician emigrants and exiles throughout the 20th century.

Xosé Velo's stay in Equatorial Guinea is set in a historical moment marked by Francoist repression, during which Fernando Poo also served as a destination for people persecuted for their political beliefs. This fact is fundamental to understanding the island's role as a welcoming space for the Galician exile and as a meeting point between Galicia and Africa, generating human, cultural, and economic ties of great historical significance. It is also important because Fernando Poo was a possible destination for the ocean liner “Santa Maria,” which was hijacked by our protagonist to draw international attention to the two dictatorships on the Iberian Peninsula.

Through documents, explanatory panels, and graphic material, the exhibition aims to recover the memory of a figure from Galician contemporary history and our region, while highlighting the importance of Equatorial Guinea in the history of Galician emigration and exile, a reality closely linked to the identity and collective memory of Quintela de Leirado.

With this initiative, the Town Council of Quintela de Leirado reaffirms its commitment to recovering historical memory, promoting cultural outreach, and highlighting the historical ties between Galicia and Equatorial Guinea, in line with the work of preserving and disseminating the migratory heritage taking place in the municipality.