By the end of the 1920 strike, cigar factories belonging to the Cigar Manufacturer’s Association no longer allowed readers in their shops. The position of the reader, once considered a right of cigar makers, was being threatened.
Factory owners considered them a to be at the root of their labor problems due to the emphasis lectors placed on the reading of liberal publications. The era of the elite reader corps seemed to be coming to an end.
In light of these developments Victoriano was in need of more secure employment. He went back to Cuba to look for work but quickly returned disappointed. Although the position of the reader in Cuba was stronger, corruption abounded and future conflicts seemed inevitable.
He returned to Tampa where the economy appeared to be on the upswing. An increasing number of tourists were coming in, many choosing to stay. Real estate activity was on the rise, and Tampa’s population was booming. The time seemed ripe for new enterprise.
By 1922 Victoriano had already married a young lady named Ofelia and had a young son named Roland. He decided it was time to look outside the cigar industry for employment so he decided to discuss his idea of publishing a Spanish newspaper with Dr. Jose Avellanal, an admired doctor and humanitarian. Notwithstanding the obvious potential and risks involved in a quality publishing effort, the good doctor was inclined to help. Dr. Avellanal contacted the Mascunana Printers and in the same year their combined efforts yielded the first issue of La Gaceta. Read more
