Vega Baja, Puerto Rico

{{Short description|Town and municipality in Puerto Rico}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Vega Baja

| official_name =

| native_name = {{lang|es|Municipio Autónomo de Vega Baja}}

| native_name_lang = es

| settlement_type = City and municipality

| image_skyline = Vega Baja, Puerto Rico welcome sign.jpg

| image_alt =

| image_caption = {{lang|es|Ciudad del Melao Melao}} welcome sign in Vega Baja

| image_flag = Vega Baja Flag.svg

| flag_alt = Flag of Vega Baja

| image_shield = Coat of arms of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.svg

| shield_alt =

| nickname = "Ciudad del Melao Melao"

| anthem = "A Vega Baja"

| image_map = Locator-map-Puerto-Rico-Vega-Baja.svg

| mapsize = 300px

| map_alt =

| map_caption = Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Vega Baja Municipality

| coordinates = {{coord|18|26|46|N|66|23|15|W|region:US-PR|display=inline,title}}

| coor_pinpoint =

| coordinates_footnotes =

| subdivision_type = Sovereign state

| subdivision_name = {{flag|United States}}

| subdivision_type1 = Commonwealth

| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Puerto Rico}}

| established_title = Founded

| established_date = October 7, 1776

| founder =

| parts_type = Barrios

| parts = 14 barrios

| p1 = Algarrobo

| p2 = Almirante Norte

| p3 = Almirante Sur

| p4 = Cabo Caribe

| p5 = Ceiba

| p6 = Cibuco

| p7 = Puerto Nuevo

| p8 = Pugnado Adentro

| p9 = Pugnado Afuera

| p10 = Quebrada Arenas

| p11 = Río Abajo

| p12 = Río Arriba

| p13 = Pueblo

| p14 = Yeguada

| seat_type =

| seat =

| government_footnotes =

| leader_party = Partido Popular Democrático

| leader_title = Mayor

| leader_name = Marcos Cruz Molina

| leader_title1 = Senatorial dist.

| leader_name1 = 3 - Arecibo

| leader_title2 = Representative dist.

| leader_name2 = 12

| area_footnotes =

| area_total_km2 = 144.28

| area_land_km2 = 122

| area_water_km2 = 22.28

| area_water_percent =

| area_note =

| unit_pref = Imperial

| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_m =

| population_footnotes = {{cite web|title=PUERTO RICO: 2020 Census|url=https://www.census.gov/library/stories/state-by-state/puerto-rico-population-change-between-census-decade.html|access-date=2021-08-25|website=The United States Census Bureau|language=EN-US}}

| population_total = 54,414

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_density_km2 = auto

| population_demonym = Vegabajeños

| population_note =

| timezone1 = AST

| utc_offset1 = -4

| postal_code_type = ZIP Codes

| postal_code = 00693, 00694

| area_code = 787/939

| blank_name_sec1 = Major routes

| blank_info_sec1 = File:PR secondary 2.svg File:PR secondary 137.svg File:Ellipse sign 155.svg File:Ellipse sign 160.svg
File:Toll plate yellow.svg
File:PR primary 22.svg

| website = {{URL|http://www.vegabaja.gov.pr/}}

| footnotes =

| population_rank = 13th in Puerto Rico

}}

Vega Baja ({{IPA|es|ˈbeɣa ˈβaxa}}) is a town and municipality located on the coast of north central Puerto Rico. It is north of Morovis, east of Manatí, and west of Vega Alta. Vega Baja is spread over 14 barrios. The population of the municipality was 54,414 at the 2020 census.{{cite web |title=Puerto Rico Population Declined 11.8% From 2010 to 2020 |url=https://www.census.gov/library/stories/state-by-state/puerto-rico-population-change-between-census-decade.html |access-date=2022-04-11 |website=Census.gov}} It is part of the San Juan–Caguas–Guaynabo metropolitan statistical area.

History

The name Vega Baja in Spanish means 'lower valley' (Vega Alta meaning 'upper valley'). Historians believe that the name Vega Baja comes from La Vega. Vega is a surname of one of the families involved in the foundation of Vega Baja. It is also believed that the name comes from the region of Spain La Vega Baja del Segura. Additionally, in Caribbean Spanish, a vega is also a tobacco plantation.{{cite web | url=https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/vega#Spanish | title=Vega | date=February 12, 2022 }}

Although is generally believed that Vega Baja was founded in 1776, after the division of Vega Alta from La Vega (modern day Vega Alta) historians have verified that it was many years later when it was officially recognized by the Spanish government. The foundation day is October 7, and it is also the day of commemorating the Virgin of the Rosary. Vega Baja was originally known as Vega-baxa del Naranjal de Nuestra Señora del Rosario (Vega Baja of the Orange Grove of Our Lady of the Rosary).

Cibuco is one of the rivers that goes through Vega Baja, and is a variation of the name Sebuco, who was a chief or Cacique Taíno of the region. These small tribes of Taínos were known to settle in the vicinity of the rivers. Although the Cibuco River is prone to floods due to heavy seasonal rains, the benefits provided to the land by the river are numerous.

Taino rock carvings have been found on some of the exposed reefs in the vicinity of the Cibuco River. Among these carvings is one depicting a face and others shaped as fish. They are an indication that these reefs were frequented for spear fishing and perhaps other day-to-day activities. Other places like Carmelita, Maisabel, Cueva Maldita and Paso del Indio are known as archaeological sites where the aborigines established their communities.

Drug trafficking has been an issue in Vega Baja for many years{{cite web | title=58 Indicted For Drug Trafficking in La Trocha Ward, Vega Baja

| website=DEA.gov | date=2008-11-25 | url=https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/divisions/car/2008/carib112508p.html | access-date=2021-05-16}} and in early 1990, $43 million dollars in cash was found buried in plastic barrels, thought to have been deposited by drug smugglers for later retrieval. The sudden wealth of a few Vega Baja residents attracted attention and prompted an investigation by FBI and local police.{{cite news |last1=Lemoyne |first1=James |title=Talk of a Puerto Rico Town: Buried Treasure, No Kidding |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/18/us/talk-of-a-puerto-rico-town-buried-treasure-no-kidding.html |work=NYT |date=April 18, 1990 |access-date=February 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815150828/http://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/18/us/talk-of-a-puerto-rico-town-buried-treasure-no-kidding.html |archive-date=August 15, 2017 |url-status=live }} By May 1990, the FBI had traced $11 million and seized and confiscated property and goods purchased with the money thought to belong to drug lord Ramon Torres Gonzalez.{{cite web | title=FBI Seizes Houses, Cars, Trucks Bought with Buried Drug Treasure | website=AP NEWS | date=1990-05-11 | url=https://apnews.com/article/b22d390bb8159fe3489089b6191ea25e | access-date=2021-05-16}}

On September 20, 2017 Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico. With an area of about {{convert|121.4|km2}} Vega Baja is a municipality on the north coast with some barrios on the coast and others in more mountainous areas. With an estimated population of 53,674 (2016, Census estimates) when Hurricane Maria struck, 48.5% were below poverty and 21.8% were people over the age of 60. The hurricane triggered numerous landslides in the municipality. Rivers were breached causing flooding of low-lying areas, and infrastructure including homes were destroyed. A tributary of the Cibuco River rose immediately putting 100 people's lives at risk. Many of those residents took refuge on roofs or sought out small boats to navigate the flooded waters and to help remove people who were trapped on roofs or inside residences. Then municipal staff picked people up in buses and took them to the shelter at the Lino Padrón school, where the electric generator nor school cistern worked. Telecommunications systems were destroyed causing state and municipal rescue officers to have to rely on radio communication signals, which were limited to a radius of a few miles. Radio signals did not reach Vega Baja and news, such as the fact that a curfew had been declared, only spread by word of mouth. The mayor, who lost his home, said the storm surge and hurricane winds destroyed most of the structures in Cerro Gordo, a coastal sector. The urban, downtown areas were impassable due to the large number of downed trees and power lines. The Cibuco River roe above PR-2 highway, preventing the passage to the adjoining town/ municipality of Vega Alta and heading west, a stretch could be covered with extreme difficulty, until it was also blocked with the rising of the Río Grande de Manatí. The mayor stated, “We don't know what happened on the mountain. We have not been able to get there yet,” and “The destruction is so great. I don't know how to explain seeing the despair of a mother or an elderly person right now. It is not easy what we are living.”{{cite web |title=Preliminary Locations of Landslide Impacts from Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico |url=https://landslides.usgs.gov/research/featured/2017/maria-pr/ |website=USGS Landslide Hazards Program |publisher=USGS |access-date=2019-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190303143147/https://landslides.usgs.gov/research/featured/2017/maria-pr/ |archive-date=2019-03-03 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Preliminary Locations of Landslide Impacts from Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico |url=https://landslides.usgs.gov/research/featured/2017/maria-pr/images/PR_Maria_LS_density_map.pdf |website=USGS Landslide Hazards Program |publisher=USGS |access-date=2019-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190303143147/https://landslides.usgs.gov/research/featured/2017/maria-pr/images/PR_Maria_LS_density_map.pdf |archive-date=2019-03-03 |url-status=live}}{{cite news | title=El Nuevo Día: María, un nombre que no vamos a olvidar. Desalojos de emergencia por inundaciones en Vega Baja | trans-title=Maria, a name we will never forget. Flood emergency evacuations in Vega Baja | newspaper=El Nuevo Día | date=2019-06-13 | url=https://huracanmaria.elnuevodia.com/2017/municipio/vega-baja/ | language=es | access-date=2022-09-11}}

Geography

File:Vega Baja tidepools (6272356283).jpg

Vega Baja is located on the northern coast.{{cite web|url=https://enciclopediapr.org/en/encyclopedia/vega-baja-municipality/|title=Vega Baja Municipality|publisher=Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades (FPH)|website=enciclopediapr.org|access-date=2019-03-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190509025917/https://enciclopediapr.org/en/encyclopedia/vega-baja-municipality/|archive-date=2019-05-09|url-status=live}} The municipality is located along the Northern Karst region of Puerto Rico, and the town is located on the Northern Plains.

=Barrios=

File:Vega Baja, Puerto Rico locator map.png

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Vega Baja is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a barrio called {{lang|es|"Pueblo"}} (barrio-pueblo on the US Census).{{cite book |last1=Picó |first1=Rafael |last2=Buitrago de Santiago |first2=Zayda |last3=Berrios |first3=Hector H. |title=Nueva geografía de Puerto Rico: física, económica, y social, por Rafael Picó. Con la colaboración de Zayda Buitrago de Santiago y Héctor H. Berrios. |year=1969 |url=https://archive.org/details/nuevageografad00pic/page/247 |publisher=San Juan Editorial Universitaria, Universidad de Puerto Rico,1969 |access-date=2018-12-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226171916/https://archive.org/details/nuevageografad00pic/page/247 |archive-date=2018-12-26 |url-status=live }}{{cite book|author=Gwillim Law|title=Administrative Subdivisions of Countries: A Comprehensive World Reference, 1900 through 1998| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=nXCeCQAAQBAJ|access-date=25 December 2018|date=20 May 2015|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-0447-3|page=300}} Note: While the US Census and the PR GIS data, indicate there are 14 barrios in Vega Baja, the Vega Baja government page seems to exclude Vega Baja barrio-pueblo in its list of barrios.{{cite web | title=Libro de Pintar "Te invito a conocer la ciudad de Vega Baja" | website=Municipio Autónomo de Vega Baja | date=29 August 2014 | url=https://www.vegabaja.gov.pr/libro-de-pintar-te-invito-a-conocer-la-ciudad-de-vega-baja/ | language=es | access-date=23 January 2023}}

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}

  1. Algarrobo
  2. Almirante Norte
  3. Almirante Sur
  4. Cabo Caribe
  5. Ceiba
  6. Cibuco
  7. Puerto Nuevo
  8. Pugnado Adentro
  9. Pugnado Afuera
  10. Quebrada Arenas
  11. Río Abajo
  12. Río Arriba
  13. Pueblo
  14. Yeguada

{{div col end}}

=Sectors=

Barrios (which are, in contemporary times, roughly comparable to minor civil divisions){{cite web |title=US Census Barrio-Pueblo definition |url=https://factfinder.census.gov/help/en/barrio.htm |website=factfinder.com |publisher=US Census |access-date=5 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513190743/https://factfinder.census.gov/help/en/barrio.htm |archive-date=13 May 2017 |url-status=dead }} and subbarrios,{{cite web |title=P.L. 94-171 VTD/SLD Reference Map (2010 Census): Vega Baja Municipio, PR |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/pl10map/vtd_sld/st72_spanish/c72145_vega_baja/PL10VTDSP_C72145_001.pdf |website=www2.census.gov |publisher=U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=22 August 2020 |archive-date=22 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190656/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/pl10map/vtd_sld/st72_spanish/c72145_vega_baja/PL10VTDSP_C72145_001.pdf |url-status=live }} are further subdivided into smaller areas called {{lang|es|sectores}} (sectors in English). The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to residencial, among others.{{cite web|url=http://www.presupuesto.pr.gov/Presupuesto2015-2016/PresupuestosAgencias/229.htm|title=Agencia: Oficina del Coordinador General para el Financiamiento Socioeconómico y la Autogestión (Proposed 2016 Budget)|website=Puerto Rico Budgets|language=es|access-date=28 June 2019|archive-date=28 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190628234856/http://www.presupuesto.pr.gov/Presupuesto2015-2016/PresupuestosAgencias/229.htm|url-status=live}}{{Citation | author1=Rivera Quintero, Marcia | title=El vuelo de la esperanza: Proyecto de las Comunidades Especiales Puerto Rico, 1997-2004 | year=2014 | publication-date=2014 | publisher=San Juan, Puerto Rico Fundación Sila M. Calderón | edition=first | isbn=978-0-9820806-1-0 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.lexjuris.com/lexlex/Leyes2001/lex2001001.htm|title=Leyes del 2001|website=Lex Juris Puerto Rico|language=es|access-date=24 June 2020|archive-date=14 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914224408/http://www.lexjuris.com/lexlex/Leyes2001/lex2001001.htm|url-status=live}}

=Special Communities=

{{Main|Puerto Rico Office for Socioeconomic and Community Development}}

{{lang|es|Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico}} (Special Communities of Puerto Rico) are marginalized communities whose citizens are experiencing a certain amount of social exclusion. A map shows these communities occur in nearly every municipality of the commonwealth. Of the 742 places that were on the list in 2014, the following barrios, communities, sectors, or neighborhoods were in Vega Baja: Alto de Cuba, Callejón Pérez and Sector El Hoyo in Barrio Algarrobo, Guarico Viejo, and La Trocha-Río Abajo.{{Citation|author1=Rivera Quintero, Marcia|title=El vuelo de la esperanza:Proyecto de las Comunidades Especiales Puerto Rico, 1997-2004|year=2014 |publication-date=2014| publisher=San Juan, Puerto Rico Fundación Sila M. Calderón| edition=Primera edición|page=273|isbn=978-0-9820806-1-0}}{{cite web|url=https://cpprbib.wordpress.com/biblioteca-virtual/guias-tematicas/comunidades-especiales/comunidades-especiales-de-puerto-rico/|title=Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico|date=8 August 2011|language=es|access-date=24 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624004414/https://cpprbib.wordpress.com/biblioteca-virtual/guias-tematicas/comunidades-especiales/comunidades-especiales-de-puerto-rico/|archive-date=24 June 2019|url-status=live}}

Demographics

{{US Census population

| 1900= 10305

| 1910= 12831

| 1920= 15756

| 1930= 20406

| 1940= 23105

| 1950= 28925

| 1960= 30189

| 1970= 35327

| 1980= 47115

| 1990= 55997

| 2000= 61929

| 2010= 59662

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 21, 2017|archive-date=December 27, 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/http://www.census.gov/|url-status=live}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPANNRES/0500000US72005|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 21, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213114938/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPANNRES/0500000US72005|archive-date=February 13, 2020}}
1899 (shown as 1900){{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/reportoncensusof00unitiala#page/n245/mode/2up|title=Report of the Census of Porto Rico 1899|publisher=War Department Office Director Census of Porto Rico|access-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170716033905/https://archive.org/stream/reportoncensusof00unitiala#page/n245/mode/2up|archive-date=July 16, 2017|url-status=live}} 1910-1930{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/00476569ch4.pdf|title=Table 3-Population of Municipalities: 1930 1920 and 1910|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817181600/https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/00476569ch4.pdf|archive-date=August 17, 2017|url-status=live}}
1930-1950{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/23761117v1ch12.pdf|title=Table 4-Area and Population of Municipalities Urban and Rural: 1930 to 1950|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150830033735/http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/23761117v1ch12.pdf|archive-date=August 30, 2015|url-status=live}} 1960-2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/phc-3-53-eng.pdf|title=Table 2 Population and Housing Units: 1960 to 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170724061852/https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/phc-3-53-eng.pdf|archive-date=July 24, 2017|url-status=live}} 2010{{cite book|title=Puerto Rico:2010:population and housing unit counts.pdf|url=https://permanent.access.gpo.gov/gpo35934/cph-2-53.pdf|year=2010|publisher=U.S. Dept. of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2018-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220183043/https://permanent.access.gpo.gov/gpo35934/cph-2-53.pdf|archive-date=2017-02-20|url-status=live}}

2020|2020=54414}}

Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish–American War under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 and became a territory of the United States. In 1899, the United States conducted its first census of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Vega Baja was 10,305.

class="wikitable floatright"
colspan=3| Vega Baja - 2020 census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/library/stories/state-by-state/puerto-rico-population-change-between-census-decade.html|title=PUERTO RICO: 2020 Census|date=August 25, 2021|website= U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=December 27, 2023}}
Race

! Population

! %

White alone10,04218.5
Black or Afro-Puerto Rican3,4916.4
American Indian/Alaska Native4600.8
Asian alone280.1
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone90.0
Some other race alone13,78325.3
Two or More Races alone26,60148.9

Tourism

=Landmarks and places of interest=

There are 14 beaches in Vega Baja.{{cite web|url=https://www.primerahora.com/noticias/puerto-rico/nota/las1200playasdepuertorico-1216285/|title=Las 1,200 playas de Puerto Rico [The 1200 beaches of Puerto Rico]|date=April 14, 2017|website=Primera Hora|language=es|access-date=December 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212200804/https://www.primerahora.com/noticias/puerto-rico/nota/las1200playasdepuertorico-1216285/|archive-date=December 12, 2019|url-status=live}}

Some main attractions of Vega Baja include:

  • Casa Alcaldía (the historic city hall)
  • Casa Alonso Museum
  • Casa Portela Museum
  • Cibuco Swamp
  • El Trece Recreational Area
  • Vega Baja House of Culture and Tourism
  • Man of the Sugar Cane Monument
  • Melao Melao Artisan Center
  • Migrants Square
  • Museo del Salon de la Fama del Deporte Vega Baja Melao Melao
  • Puerto Nuevo Beach and its recreational area{{cite web|url=https://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/locales/nota/vegabajabuscaunaalianzapublicoprivadaparalacasonadelbalneario-2478379/|title=Vega Baja busca una Alianza Público Privada para la casona del balneario|date=22 February 2019|website=El Nuevo Dia|language=es|access-date=15 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223141626/https://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/locales/nota/vegabajabuscaunaalianzapublicoprivadaparalacasonadelbalneario-2478379/|archive-date=23 February 2019|url-status=live}}
  • José Francisco Náter Square (main town square or plaza)
  • Teatro América
  • Teatro Fénix
  • Tortuguero Lagoon
  • Tortuguero Recreational Area
  • Trinitarias Park

Economy

File:Playa Mar Bella, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.jpg

The abundant fertility of its soil has meant Vega Baja has much agricultural and farming land. In addition, Vega Baja has one of the most visited beaches of the northern coastline, Puerto Nuevo Beach (officially Mar Bella Beach). This beach attracts thousands of beachgoers annually, making it a center for local tourism, especially during the hot summer months. It boasts a natural rock formation of enormous proportions both in height and length colloquially named La Peña. This rock feature shelters the beach portion from the open seas just behind it. During rough marine conditions, the rock feature protects beachgoers, while the spectacle of waves crashing from behind and cascading down its face can be appreciated in the relative safety of the beach.{{cite web|url=https://diariocorreo.pe/miscelanea/playa-rompeolas-tsunami-video-795754/|title=¿Te bañarías en esta playa con un rompeolas natural que parece un tsunami? (VIDEO)|date=January 6, 2018|website=Diario Correo|access-date=October 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022070832/https://diariocorreo.pe/miscelanea/playa-rompeolas-tsunami-video-795754/|archive-date=October 22, 2019|url-status=live}}

=Agriculture=

  • Pineapple, cattle feed (hay). In decades past, the land portion situated between the neighborhood of Monte Carlo and the neighborhood of Los Naranjos, was the site for the cultivation of sugar cane.
  • Dairy farming{{cite web |url=https://www.dairystar.com/Content/News/Daily-News/Article/Martinez-family-holds-onto-dairy-heritage/1/256/15905 |title=Martinez family holds onto dairy heritage |access-date=2020-08-03 |archive-date=2020-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822190650/https://www.dairystar.com/Content/News/Daily-News/Article/Martinez-family-holds-onto-dairy-heritage/1/256/15905 |url-status=live }}

=Industry=

  • Clothing, leather articles; electrical and electronic equipment, machinery
  • Medical, and pharmaceutical.

Culture

=Festivals and events=

Vega Baja celebrates its patron saint festival in October. The {{lang|es|Fiestas Patronales de Nuestra Virgen del Rosario}} is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment.{{cite web | title=Puerto Rico Festivales, Eventos y Actividades en Puerto Rico | website=Puerto Rico Hoteles y Paradores | url=https://www.puertoricohotelesparadores.com/festivales-eventos-actividades | language=es | access-date=2020-07-17 | archive-date=2020-02-26 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226163727/https://www.puertoricohotelesparadores.com/festivales-eventos-actividades | url-status=live }}

Other festivals and events celebrated in Vega Baja include:

  • Three Kings Festival – January
  • Triathlon – March
  • Annual Tournament of Champions – June
  • San Juan Night – June
  • Virgen del Carmen Festival – July
  • Beach Festival at Mar Bella - July
  • Socio-Cultural Fair – May
  • Melao Melao Festival – October
  • Christmas Festival – December

Government

All municipalities in Puerto Rico are administered by a mayor, elected every four years. The current mayor of Vega Baja is Marcos Cruz Molina, of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). He was first elected at the 2012 general elections.

The city belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district III, which is represented by two senators. In 2024, Brenda Pérez Soto and Gabriel González were elected as District Senators.

Transportation

There are 23 bridges in Vega Baja.{{cite web|title=Vega Baja Bridges|url=http://bridgereports.com/pr/vega-baja/|website=National Bridge Inventory Data|publisher=US Dept. of Transportation|access-date=20 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221224238/http://bridgereports.com/pr/vega-baja/|archive-date=21 February 2019|url-status=live}}

Notable people

  • Bad Bunny – Platinum rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and professional wrestler.
  • Chicky Starr – Professional wrestler and manager in the World Wrestling Council (WWC) and the International Wrestling Association (IWA)
  • Ivan Rodriguez – a.k.a. “Pudge” was widely considered the best catcher of his generation, MLB AL MVP, perennial all star and gold glover. Hall of Fame baseball player who played mostly for the Texas Rangers
  • Juan Gonzalez – Two time AL MVP, 3 time Allstar, Multiple time AL HR leader, Home run derby winner, MLB RBI leader and in 1998 he was owner of the second most RBIs by all star break ever (101). He played mostly for the Texas Rangers.

Symbols

The {{lang|es|municipio}} has an official flag and coat of arms.{{cite web | title=Ley Núm. 70 de 2006 -Ley para disponer la oficialidad de la bandera y el escudo de los setenta y ocho (78) municipios. | website=LexJuris de Puerto Rico | url=https://www.lexjuris.com/LEXLEX/Leyes2006/lexl2006070.htm | language=es | access-date=2021-06-15}}

=Flag=

Vega Baja's flag consists of a yellow cloth crossed by a green band. The band relates to the fertile valley and the river.{{cite web | title=VEGA BAJA | website=LexJuris (Leyes y Jurisprudencia) de Puerto Rico | date=19 February 2020 | url=http://www.lexjuris.com/pueblos/pueblos_files/VEGABAJA.HTML | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219000350/http://www.lexjuris.com/pueblos/pueblos_files/VEGABAJA.HTML | archive-date=19 February 2020 | url-status=live | language=es | access-date=17 September 2020}}

=Coat of arms=

The Vega Baja coat of arms has a v-shaped green band with overlapping roses in silver and three oranges trees, with gold fruit. At the top part is a five-tower crown, silver, black and green. The main colors of the shield; green and gold are used traditionally in civic, scholastic and sports activities. The crown five tower indicates that the town holds the rank of "Villa" by royal decree.

=Anthem=

The [https://es.wikisource.org/wiki/Himno_de_Vega_Baja_(Puerto_Rico) anthem] of Vega Baja is "A Vega Baja" with lyrics as written in 1974 by Adrián Santos Tirado and music by Roberto Sierra.

Education

File:Mech Tech.jpg

The following schools are in Vega Baja:{{cite web |title=Search For Schools and Colleges | website=National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a part of the U.S. Department of Education | url=https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=7200030 | access-date=6 October 2020}}

  • Agapito Rosario Rosario Grades: K - 5
  • Angel Sandin Martinez Grades: 6 - 8
  • Centro De Adiestramiento
  • Juan Quirindongo Morell (Superior) Grades: 9 - 12
  • Lino Padro Rivera Grades: 9 - 12
  • Manuel Martinez Davila Grades: K - 8
  • Nueva Brigida Alvarez Rodriguez Grades: K - 12
  • Rafael Hernandez Grades: K - 5
  • San Vicente Grades: K - 5
  • Su Almirante Norte Grades: Pre-K - 8

=Higher education=

  • Caribbean University-Vega Baja Private Not-for-profit 4-year or above

=Private School=

  • Mech-Tech College

Gallery

File:Transplanted and thriving elkhorn coral near Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.jpg|Elkhorn coral near the coast of Vega Baja.

File:Pugnado Adentro, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico - panoramio (3).jpg|View of Vega Baja in Pugnado Adentro.

File:Lagoon port.jpg|Laguna Tortuguero

File:Puerto Nuevo, Vega Baja 00693, Puerto Rico - panoramio (7).jpg|Limestone rock in Mar Bella Beach (Puerto Nuevo Beach).

File:Vega Baja license plate, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.jpg|Vega Baja license plate in Altamonte Springs, Florida.

See also

References

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

Further reading

  • {{cite book |year=1955 |title=Mapa de municipios y barrios - Vega Baja - Memoria Núm. 36 |url=https://rcm1.rcm.upr.edu/demografia/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2020/04/Memoria_36_Vega-Baja-1955.pdf |location=University of Puerto Rico |publisher=Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, Oficina del Gobernador, Junta de Planificacion, Santurce, Puerto Rico}}