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"Pedro was my first friend in Madrid. I met him in 1992 and from the first moment I felt that he was one of those very few people who radiated light, energy and thought. It was all together, his verb, what he posed, the commitment in each word , in each sentence ... He was, really, something shocking. A born leader. Always inviting you to be part of the fight and history with him. It was a great privilege to meet him because, in my opinion, he was the last man interesting in our politics. " This is how Boris Izaguirre fondly reminds him of LOC, when it is five years since his death.
Like the well-known writer and presenter, Zerolo was Venezuelan, but he grew up in La Laguna (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), where a year ago he was named Illustrious Son posthumously. In 2015, the activist and politician died of cancer. His legacy is still based on three pillars: fight against discrimination, commitment to visibility and defense of social justice. His social commitment in favor of LGTBI rights gave him a place in history "for being the engine of change in a country," says actor Fernando Guillén Cuervo, as he was the creator of the enactment on July 3, 2005 of the gay marriage law. It opened Zapatero's eyes and Spain became the third country in the world, after Belgium and the Netherlands, to democratically accept these unions. After his death, the Chueca neighborhood dedicated a plaza to him. Symbol of eternity.
Made the law ... created happiness. On October 1 of that same year, she married Jesús Santos, her boyfriend of a decade. Trinidad Jiménez, PSOE councilor at the Madrid City Council, officiated at the emotional ceremony. "I am convinced that the children will come," he assured happily. But that dream was cut short. A month later, his close friend Jesús Vázquez pronounced "yes, I want" to the love of his life, Roberto Cortés. The popular presenter reveals his most important qualities: "Honesty, courage, kindness, tenacity, the ability to dialogue, build bridges and the illusion to make his dream of a more just and egalitarian country come true."
Jesús stresses that "his legacy lives on more than ever. Pedro represents the fight for equality of all citizens before the law, for justice, for the construction of a better country and a better world. I have the honor of having shared with him part of that fight that culminated in the approval of same-sex marriage, a true milestone in our history . A gigantic step forward. "
From his confinement in Madrid, Fernando Guillén Cuervo draws him as "a character with a very great authority, but at the same time with an enormous sweetness and gift of people. He was empathetic with his environment , without posture and natural. With his figure, his grace, his oratory and well-formed political base made freedoms a reality. "
Her sister Cayetana was one of her closest friends. The actress and presenter enjoyed when Pedro went to his house where meetings were held with friends and very diverse people, "and we shared the passion for reading, the sea, walks and all the activist struggle in favor of the LGTBI collective, to which we always I've been linked. " Pedro not only officiated his civil wedding with photographer Omar Ayyashi in Ibiza on June 4, 2005, but four years later he held "a lay ceremony of welcome to citizenship for our son Leo. At no time did we call it a civil baptism. Respect everyone and I don't want to offend anyone. " And he adds: "Leo is 14 years old, we have explained to him many times who Pedro is and that thanks to him there is a law that allows gay marriage in Spain."
To defend his ideals he left his career as a lawyer in the field of civil law. About the year 2001, together with his partner Luisa Estévez, he took two or three cases to the singer Yurena, one of the great gay muses of recent years: "His attention was exquisite, he was a good professional, very nice, affectionate and From the first moment he supported me a lot because they were very hard moments . "
Pedro's dream lasted more than one summer night and paid a high price. He received assaults, threats, insults and was the center of the target of homophobia. But he held on. In fact, his closest friends called him a volcano because his emotions erupted from the depths, like his beloved Canary Islands.
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