Bento Antonio Gonsalves

Gonsalves, Bento Antonio 

Born Mar. 2, 1902; died Sept. 2, 1942, in Tarrafal. Portuguese labor leader.

Gonsalves was a lathe operator by profession; he participated in the revolutionary movement from his early years. In the 1920’s, Gonsalves became engaged in trade union work (he was one of the organizers of the Lisbon trade unions). In 1928 he joined the Portuguese Communist Party. In 1929 he was elected to the Central Committee and to the post of general secretary of the party. In 1931 and 1932 he was frequently arrested. At the end of 1935, Gonsalves was arrested and sent to the Tarrafal concentration camp in the Cape Verde Islands. In captivity Gonsalves illegally continued to direct the activity of the Portuguese Communist Party. He died in the camp, tortured to death by the fascists.