Óscar Pérez Solís

Óscar Pérez Solís
Óscar Pérez Solís in 1912
Born	(1882-08-24)24 August 1882 Cabañaquinta, Asturias, Spain
Died	26 October 1951(1951-10-26) (aged 69) Valladolid, Spain
Nationality	Spanish
Occupation	Soldier, engineer, journalist
Known for	Founder of Spanish Communist Party

Óscar Pérez Solís (24 August 1882 – 26 October 1951) was a Spanish artillery officer, engineer, journalist and politician. He became attracted to left-wing causes, and left the army in 1912. He joined the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and was its candidate in several general elections. In 1921 he was one of the founders of the Communist Party of Spain, and became secretary-general of the party. He converted to Catholicism during a period in prison in 1925–27. After being released he disavowed his left-wing beliefs and became associated with the right-wing Falangists.

Óscar Pérez Solís was born in Cabañaquinta, Asturias, on 24 August 1882. His father was a captain of the Marine Infantry, and took the family with him on postings to Ferrol, Galicia and then Valladolid. Oscar was expected to continue the military tradition. He graduated from secondary school in 1898 and entered the Artillery Academy in Segovia. He qualified as a mechanical engineer, and left the Academy in 1904 with the rank of lieutenant.

Pérez Solís served in the Gran Canaria artillery command in Las Palmas from 1904 to 1907. Juan Salvador, an anarchist soldier under his command in Las Palmas who died unexpectedly, introduced him to the Luz y Progreso (Light and Progress) anarchist movement. Pérez Solís was posted to Valladolid from 1908 to 1911. He joined the socialist Agrupación Socialista (AS) of Valladolid in 1910, and wrote for the socialist press using the pseudonym "Juan Salvador". In 1911 he was promoted to captain. He edited the socialist weekly Adelante de Valladolid under the pseudonym "Carlos Guerrero". With his socialist leanings known to his fellow-officers, he was advised to apply for a transfer to Cartagena. He ignored this, and instead asked to be assigned to the reserve in Madrid. He left the army after being reprimanded for being involved in an assault on a municipal councilor.

Pérez Solís was discharged in June 1912. He was an AS representative in the 9th Congress of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español, PSOE) in 1912, and in subsequent congresses in 1919, 1920 and 1921. He was the PSOE candidate for Valladolid in the general elections of 1914, 1916, 1918, 1919 and 1920. In 1915 he was elected deputy mayor of Valladolid. At first he was in the right wing of the PSOE. Pérez Solís supported the alliance with the Republicans during the early period of his membership of the PSOE. Later he began to criticize their anti-monarchy position, and the power of local party bosses such as Santiago Alba. During World War I (1914–18) Pérez Solís supported the Allies, but was not deeply involved in their cause, having little interest in international affairs.