He was born in Veracruz on 18 November 1895, the son of Francisco Laborde and Rosenda Rodríguez.
He was part of the Alianza de los Ferrocarrileros Mexicanos since 1924, and during the railroad strikes that took place between 1926 and 1927 he was one of its leaders, but would be apprehended and imprisoned by orders of the Calles government.
Along with Valentín Campa, Laborde opposed the PCM conducting a smear campaign against Leon Trotsky after he had fled to Mexico.
At the same time, both communist leaders questioned the "unity at all costs" policy imposed by the Communist International, which earned them removal from the leadership and expulsion from the PCM on orders from the International.
He was a partner of the singer and activist Concha Michel, whom he met in the Mexican Communist Party.