Gilberto Francois "Betico" Croes was an Aruban political activist who was a proponent for Aruba's separation from the Netherlands Antilles.
11 Facts About Betico Croes
2.
Betico Croes is best remembered as "Libertador" and as the father of the Aruban people.
3.
Betico Croes was born on the 25th of January,1938, in Santa Cruz.
4.
In 1967, Betico Croes first participated in the island council of Aruba as a member of the Aruban People's Party and was elected.
5.
Betico Croes resigned on July 1970 after the AVP had decided not to give a seat to the UNA.
6.
In February 1971, Betico Croes founded the political party People's Electoral Movement, and was elected to the island council.
7.
In February 1981, at the Round Table Conference, Betico Croes formally set Aruba's Independence for 1991, however the Round Table Conference of 1983, resulted in a proposed new Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands in which Aruba would have a Status Aparte making it a constituent country within the Kingdom in 1986, and possible independence in 1996.
8.
On 24 April 1983, Betico Croes was shot in the stomach by police officer Libier.
9.
Betico Croes was responsible for major projects for the people of Aruba, like the housing company FCCA, and the transportation company Arubus,.
10.
On 31 December 1985, Betico Croes was in a traffic accident and lapsed into a coma.
11.
Betico Croes died on 26 November 1986 in a reactivation and nursing center in Utrecht, Netherlands.