Elías Ahúja y Andría
Encyclopedia
Elías Ahúja y Andría was a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...

, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

, businessman and academic. He was born in Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....

 and died in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

.

He studied commerce at the Technical Institute of Boston. In 1903 he moved to the Republic of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

 and became Vice-president and later Director of the “Dupont Nitrate Company”. In 1922 he returned to Spain and founded the “Elías Ahúja Charity”, associated with the Good Samaritans. Interested in culture, he founded several sports, military, religious and educative institutions. He constructed hospitals, clinics, dining halls, schools, quarters, city council buildings, provided the poor with food, helped widows and orphans and did work to improve conditions in jails and sanitoriums.

He did much work to assist the Institución Exploradores de España (Scouts) in Puerto Santa Maria and his work favored other cities like Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...

, Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....

, Paterna de Rivera
Paterna de Rivera
Paterna de Rivera is a small town located in the province of Cádiz, Spain. According to the 2005 census, it had a population of 5,354.-Demographics:-External links:* - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía...

, Espera
Espera
Espera is a city located in the province of Cádiz, Spain. According to the 2005 census, the city has a population of 3,909 inhabitants.-Demographics:- External links :* - Sistema de Información Multiterritorial de Andalucía...

 and Villaluenga del Rosario
Villaluenga del Rosario
Villaluenga del Rosario is a village located in the province of Cádiz, Spain. According to the 2005 census, the city has a population of 481 inhabitants.It's located down Navazo Alto mountain, inside Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.-Demographics:...

 among others too. He was a candidate in the last elections of the Monarchy as and also an academic academic of the Real Hispano Americana y Bellas Artes de Cádiz.

He was honorary president of the Red Cross in Cadiz and Seville and was awarded state decorations for his philanthropy like the Military service cross, the Gold medal of the Red Cross, the Cross of the Civilian order, and the Gold medal of the Scouts, etc. However he was later accused of misusing funds and was forced to leave Spain in 1937 through Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...

. He died in 1951 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

.

His name is honored in Puerto Santa Maria and has a place and house dedicated to him and a council plaque. One of the campuses of the City University of Madrid takes his name.
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