euskalkultura.eus

01/06/2017 - Donostia-San Sebastian

(1931/01/03 - 2017/01/06)

Joseba Leizaola was part of a well known family in the Basque-Venezuelan community in Caracas. His father Ricardo was an active member of the EAJ-PNV party and worked for the Basque culture and institutions in many projects and positions. Joseba's uncle was Jesus Mari Leizaola, Lehendakari Zaharra, President of the Basque Government in Exile after Jose Antonio Agirre died in 1960.

Joseba Leizaola was born in Donostia, but his family moved in the 1940s to the exile in Venezuela, where he grew up. Besides being for a number of years director of the Eusko Etxea Basque Center in Caracas, he was president of EGI, the youth section of the jeltzale party in the Venezuelan capital city.

After coming back to the Basque Country while dictator Franco was still alive, he continued with his cultural and political commitment and when the Basque democratic institutions were recovered he was elected member of the Basque Parliament, for 5 terms. The last two of them (1990-1998) as President of the Camera.

He died on January 6th, 2017 after a long disease, just three days after reaching 86 years old. GB.