Pioneering US labour leader Dolores Huerta dies aged 96

Dolores Huerta, a pioneering US labor leader and civil rights icon, died at the age of 96, her family announced on Wednesday. Born in New Mexico and raised in California, Huerta was the driving force behind the United Farm Workers union, which she co-founded with Cesar Chavez in the 1960s. Together, they organized strikes and walkouts that improved working conditions for millions of migrant workers.

Despite Chavez's public persona as the movement's charismatic leader, Huerta revealed in recent years that he had raped multiple women, including her, leading to two pregnancies. Huerta continued to be a prominent figure in left-wing politics, organizing efforts against President Donald Trump's immigration policies. She received numerous accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama in 2012.

Former President Obama remembered her as the originator of the "Si se puede" slogan, which he often cited as his own. Huerta's legacy inspired generations of Americans to champion collective action.