Mayagüez (, ) is the ninth-largest

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

. It was founded as Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Mayagüez (Township of Our Lady of Candelaria), and is also known as ''La Sultana del Oeste'' (The Sultaness of the West), ''Ciudad de las Aguas Puras'' (City of Pure Waters), or ''Ciudad del Mangó'' (Mango City). On April 6, 1894, the

Spanish Crown The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. The Spanish ...

granted it the formal title of ''Excelente Ciudad de Mayagüez'' (Excellent City of Mayagüez). Mayagüez is located in the center of the western coast on the island of Puerto Rico. It has a population of 73,077, and it is the principal city of the Mayagüez Metropolitan Statistical Area (pop. 213,831) and the Mayagüez–Aguadilla, PR Combined Statistical Area (pop. 467,599).

History

The Mayagüez Metro Area (and part of Añasco) lies today on two former

Taíno The Taíno are the Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, Indigenous peoples of the Greater Antilles and surrounding islands. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the principal inhabitants of most of what is now The ...

Cacicazgos (chiefdoms): Yaguex and Yagüeca, a region noted for its record of colonial resistance (i.e., Urayoán and Legend of Diego Salcedo). The Tainos constituted the majority of the island's inhabitants at the time of contact with Europeans in 1493 and called it Borikén or Borinquen. Today, this appellation and its variations continue to designate the Island of Puerto Rico and its people. The Taínos came from South American branches of Arawakan speakers, more specifically from modern-day

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

, and lived in small villages, organized their society in clans and named their chiefs

Cacique A cacique, sometimes spelled as cazique (; ; feminine form: ), was a tribal chieftain of the Taíno people, who were the Indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles at the time of European cont ...

. They were farmers who domesticated crops as

pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a Tropical vegetation, tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been culti ...

cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...

, and

sweet potato The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its sizeable, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable, which is a staple food in parts of ...

es supplemented by

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

and seafood. Mayagüez was founded on September 18, 1760, by a group led by brothers Faustino and Lorenzo Martínez de Matos, Juan de Silva and Juan de Aponte, at a hill located about one kilometer inland from Mayagüez Bay and the outlet of the Yagüez River. The

granted the founders the right to self-government in 1763, formally separating the town from the larger ''Partido de San Germán''. The settlement was named Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Mayagüez (''Our Lady of Candelaria of Mayagüez'') to evoke an apparition of the Virgin Mary on the island of

Tenerife Tenerife ( ; ; formerly spelled ''Teneriffe'') is the largest and most populous island of the Canary Islands, an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain. With a land area of and a population of 965,575 inhabitants as of A ...

, one of the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the cont ...

. Most of the town's settlers, including its founders, migrated from the archipelago, whose

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...

is the

Virgin of Candelaria The Virgin of Candelaria or Our Lady of Candelaria ( or ''Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria'') (), popularly called ''La Morenita'', celebrates the Virgin Mary on the island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands (Spain). The center of worship is l ...

. On May 7, 1836, the settlement was elevated to the royal status of

villa A villa is a type of house that was originally an ancient Roman upper class country house that provided an escape from urban life. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the f ...

, and Rafael Mangual was named its first mayor. At the time, the villa's principal economic activity was agriculture. The famous patriot, educator, sociologist, philosopher, essayist and novelist Eugenio María de Hostos was born in Mayagüez in 1839. On July 10, 1877, the villa received its

city charter A city charter or town charter (generically, municipal charter) is a legal document (''charter'') establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the Middle Ages. Traditionally, the granting of a charter ...

from the Royal Crown of Spain. Puerto Rico was ceded by Spain in the aftermath of the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

under the terms of the

Treaty of Paris of 1898 The Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain, commonly known as the Treaty of Paris of 1898, was signed by Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States on December 10, 1898, and marked the end of the ...

and became a territory of the United States.In 1899, the

United States Department of War The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, als ...

conducted a

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of Puerto Rico finding that the population of Mayagüez was 35,700, making it one of the largest towns in Puerto Rico at the time. The city's main Roman Catholic church, Our Lady of the Candelaria, was built in a plot consecrated on August 21, 1760. Its first masonry building was erected in 1780. The current church was built in 1836, and was rebuilt in 1922. The redesign by architect Luis Perocier sought to restore the building to its original splendor. The 1918 San Fermín earthquake had destroyed the temple's ceiling, and a lightning bolt struck and tore down a wedge-shaped corner of one of its two bell towers. However, lack of proper funding and the extent of the damage of the original structure forced the rebuilding to be scaled-down considerably. In 1911, the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts was founded in Mayagüez. Today it is known as the

University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez The University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (UPRM) or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez (RUM) in Spanish (also referred to as Colegio and CAAM in allusion to its former name), is a Public university, public land-grant university in Mayagüez ...

(UPRM)—the

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

's leading engineering institution. Between 1962 and 1998 Mayagüez was a major

tuna A tuna (: tunas or tuna) is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae ( mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bul ...

canning and processing center. At one time, 80% of all tuna products consumed in the United States were packed in Mayagüez (the biggest employer,

StarKist StarKist Tuna is a brand of tuna produced by StarKist Co., an American company formerly based in Pittsburgh's North Shore that is now wholly owned by Dongwon Industries of South Korea. It was purchased by Dongwon from the American food manufact ...

, had 11,000 employees working three daily shifts in the local plant's heyday). Mayagüez was also a major

textile industry The textile industry is primarily concerned with the design, production and distribution of textiles: yarn, cloth and clothing. Industry process Cotton manufacturing Cotton is the world's most important natural fibre. In the year 2007, th ...

hub; almost a quarter of all drill uniforms used by the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

were sewn in the city. Today, Mayagüez is the fifth-largest city in Puerto Rico and is considered one of the most important cities in the island. The city is centered on the impressive Spanish-style main square Plaza Colón, a tribute to

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...

, whose statue stands in the middle of the square, surrounded by 16 bronze statues. Mayagüez has become a major

college town A college town or university town is a town or city whose character is dominated by a college or university and their associated culture, often characterised by the student population making up 20 percent of the population of the community, bu ...

with the establishment of the UPRM, the now closed Eugenio María de Hostos Law School and the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. On September 20, 2017

Hurricane Maria Hurricane Maria was an extremely powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that affected the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, which accounted for 2,975 of the 3,059 deaths. It is the ...

struck Puerto Rico. In Mayagüez, losses were described as "catastrophic". The storm triggered numerous landslides in Mayagüez. In some areas of Mayagüez, there were over 25 landslides per square mile due to the deluge.

Geography

Mayagüez is located near the geographical center of the west coast of Puerto Rico about two to three hours by automobile from

San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John (disambiguation), Saint John, most commonly refers to: * San Juan, Puerto Rico * San Juan, Argentina * San Juan, Metro Manila, a highly urbanized city in the Philippines San Juan may also refer to: Places Arge ...

. Its land area is 77.6 square miles (201.06 km²). The city's terrain includes; coast plains, river valleys, marshland, hills and mountains. Of its multiple rivers and streams, the two most important are the Río Yagüez, which flows from the Central Mountain Range through downtown until it empties into the

Mona Passage The Mona Passage () is a strait that separates the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. The Mona Passage connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea and is an important shipping route between the Atlantic and the Panama Canal. The Mona Pas ...

; and the Río Guanajibo, which flows through several neighborhoods in the southern portion of the municipality until it empties in the

National protected areas

The Desecheo National Wildlife Refuge on Desecheo Island is a protected area. To the north of the El Maní community in Mayagüez is the Boquilla Creek Wildlife Reserve (''Reserva Natural del Caño de la Boquilla''), a protected area and the habitat of

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

Climate

Mayagüez has a

tropical savanna climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

''Aw''). The city has the most extreme weather of the island. The high frequency of severe storms in the summer can produce strong winds,

flood A flood is an overflow of water (list of non-water floods, or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant con ...

waterspout A waterspout is a rotating column of air that occurs over a body of water, usually appearing as a funnel-shaped cloud in contact with the water and a cumuliform cloud. There are two types of waterspout, each formed by distinct mechanisms. ...

s, and sometimes

hail Hail is a form of solid Precipitation (meteorology), precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets (American English "sleet"), though the two are often confused. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailsto ...

and even

tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with the surface of Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, although the ...

es. The average annual temperature is . Winter is usually quite dry and warm, with temperatures between and . Summer is usually very hot and humid, with temperatures reaching , with heat index of up to . From May to October, most evenings experience strong thunderstorms, due to heat, humidity and the topography of the area.

Cityscape

Barrios

The ''

municipio A ' () or ' () is an administrative division in several Hispanophone and Lusophone nations, respectively. It is often translated as "municipality." It comes from ''mūnicipium'' (), meaning a township. In English, a municipality often is define ...

'' has an estimated population of just over 100,000 spread over 21 barrios ('' barrios'') including ''Mayagüez Pueblo'' (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city). One of the barrios is Isla de Mona e Islote Monito, which consists of the offshore islands of Mona Island and Monito Island. This is the largest ward by land area and at the same time the only one without any permanent population. Also, uninhabited Desecheo Island belongs to the municipality as part of Sabanetas ''barrio''. # Algarrobos # Bateyes # Guanajibo # Isla de Mona e Islote Monito # Juan Alonso # Leguísamo #

Limón Limón (), also known as Puerto Limón, is the capital city of both the province and canton of the same name. One of Costa Rica's seven "middle cities" (i.e., main cities outside of San José's Greater Metropolitan Area), Limón has a populat ...

# Malezas # Mayagüez Arriba # Mayagüez barrio-pueblo # Miradero # Montoso # Naranjales # Quebrada Grande # Quemado # Río Cañas Abajo # Río Cañas Arriba # Río Hondo #

Rosario Rosario () is the largest city in the central provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Santa Fe Province, Santa Fe. The city, located northwest of Buenos Aires on the west bank of the Paraná River, is the third-most populous city in the ...

# Sábalos # Sabanetas Mayagüez Pueblo is further subdivided into these barrios: * Candelaria * Cárcel * Marina Septentrional * Marina Meridional * Río * Salud

Sectors

Barrios (which are, in contemporary times, roughly comparable to minor civil divisions) are further subdivided into smaller areas called (''sectors'' in English). The types of ''sectores'' may vary, from normally ''sector'' to ''urbanización'' to ''reparto'' to ''barriada'' to ''residencial'', among others. The sectors that comprise Mayagüez City are: *Balboa *Barcelona *El Seco *El Liceo *El Pueblo *La Mineral *La Quinta *París *Trastalleres Other notable neighborhoods or sectors: * El Maní—community in Sabanetas *Mayagüez Terrace—development in Algarrobo, near the UPRM Campus *Alturas de Mayagüez—development in Algarrobo, near the Holiday Inn Hotel and the Regional Distribution Center * El Cerro de las Mesas—known for being the home of " CROEM" and for its picture perfect views of the city from Camino Berrios. *Buena Vista—a hilltop picturesque community next to the downtown area. *Colombia—a famous former slum, alongside a Government Center. *Columbus Landing—the second oldest public housing project (''caserio'') in Puerto Rico. *Dulces Labios—a picturesque community alongside PR-2 famous for its history and its musical activities. *Ensanche Martínez (La Bosque)—student area, near the UPRM Campus. *Ensanche Ramírez—a hilltop high class development, near the UPRM Campus. *Ensanche Vivaldi—student area, near the UPRM Campus. *La Riviera—student area. *Ponce de León—development in Mayagüez Arriba next to Luis Muñoz Rivera Park (eastern outskirts). *Santurce—community next to the Old Municipal Cemetery. *Vadi-Cristy—community alongside PR-2 and the downtown area.

Special Communities

(Special Communities of Puerto Rico) are marginalized communities whose citizens are experiencing a certain amount of

social exclusion Social exclusion or social marginalisation is the social disadvantage and relegation to the fringe of society. It is a term that has been used widely in Europe and was first used in France in the late 20th century. In the EU context, the Euro ...

. 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 Mayagüez: Balboa, Barrio Salud, Buena Vista, Central Igualdad, Dulces Labios, El Maní, El Quemado, Felices Días, La Chorra, La Quinta, Leguízamo, Mayagüez Arriba, Parcelas Rolón, Polvorín, Quebrada Grande, Río Cañas, Río Hondo, Rosario, and Trastalleres.

Demographics

According to 2009 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, there were 92,156 people (down from 98,434 in 2000) in 38,469 housing units residing in Mayagüez. The population density was . The city has a considerable "college population" adding approximately 10,000 people to the year round population of Mayagüez. People of Hispanic or Latino origin, who may be of any race, composed 98.9% of the population. Of the 31,877 households in 2007 in Mayagüez, 38.6% were married couples living together, 22.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households 27.8% were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.41. In Mayagüez, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. Mayagüez had more women, with 88.4 males for every 100 females. As of 2000, speakers of English as a first language accounted for 15.14% of the population.

Economy

The city has had several natural disasters. It faced a major economic downturn due to the closure of its textile factories and tuna industry, which were the principal industries of the city for the greater part of the 20th century. Over 11,000 permanent jobs in these two industries were lost in the city during the 1990s, and because of this, Mayagüez became the jurisdiction of the United States with the second most industrial job losses during the time, second only to

Flint, Michigan Flint is the largest city in Genesee County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. Located along the Flint River (Michigan), Flint River northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the Central Michigan, Mid Michigan region. Flin ...

. Once the third city in population and importance in Puerto Rico, population numbers for it have been relatively stagnant, and it has lost population. Mayagüez has a floating population due to its universities, principally the University of Puerto Rico- Mayagüez Campus of about 15,000–20,000 which contributes considerably to its economy. In 2005 Winston-Salem Industries for The Blind was the first industry to move into the city's industrial park in many years. In July 2007

Honeywell Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building automation, industrial automa ...

opened a customer support service center for its aerospace and information technology divisions in the city. As of 2023,

Bureau of Labor Statistics The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the government of the United States, U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics, labor economics and ...

data revealed that the Mayagüez metropolitan area had the worst-paid lawyers in the United States, with an annual average salary of only $62,380.

Culture

Contributions to Puerto Rican gastronomy

Mayagüez's contributions to Puerto Rican gastronomy have been many, and a few of these are known outside Puerto Rico. Besides being host to one of the largest concentrations of

mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree '' Mangifera indica''. It originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South and Southeast As ...

trees in the island, the city has been a host to various food enterprises whose products are popular in Puerto Rico (and elsewhere): * – literally "

gypsy {{Infobox ethnic group , group = Romani people , image = , image_caption = , flag = Roma flag.svg , flag_caption = Romani flag created in 1933 and accepted at the 1971 World Romani Congress , po ...

arm", is the locally produced Swiss or jelly roll, originally from Spain. E. Franco & Co., a bakery, food importer, and restaurant established in the late 1850s, is the best-known provider of in town. Another (more recent) provider is Ricomini Bakery, whose central store in downtown Mayagüez has been open for over 100 years. *''Sangría de Fido'' – the heirs of Wilfrido Aponte still bottle "Sangría de Fido", a powerful concoction inspired by

sangria Sangria ( , ; ) is an alcoholic beverage originating in Spain and Portugal. A punch, sangria traditionally consists of red wine and chopped fruit, often with other ingredients or spirits. Under EU regulations only Spain and Portugal can ...

, but made with fruit juices, Bacardi 151

rum Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is often aged in barrels of oak. Rum originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century, but today it is produced i ...

and

burgundy wine Burgundy wine ( or ') is made in the Burgundy region of eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here, and those commonly referred to as "Burgundies", are dry (wine), ...

(technically not from Bourgogne, but produced by E & J Gallo Winery in

Modesto, California Modesto ( ; ) is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,069 according to 2022 United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau estimates, it is the List of cities and towns in Ca ...

). It had been bottled by hand by the bartender since the mid-1970s. ''"Sangría de Fido"'' has a sizeable reputation outside Puerto Rico, and can claim tasters from as far away as California and Spain. E & J Gallo once awarded Aponte with a "Customer of the Year" award and flew him to their headquarters. Aponte was reportedly offered $250,000 by Bacardi to sell his original recipe once, to which he refused. *Bolo's Sorullitos – a now-defunct operation that originated at Bolo's Restaurant, a seaside eatery next to Mayagüez Bay, which produced sorullitos, or fried cornsticks, along with mayo-ketchup, a dip made of

mayonnaise Mayonnaise (), colloquially referred to as "mayo" (), is a thick, creamy sauce with a rich and tangy taste that is commonly used on sandwiches, hamburgers, Salad#Bound salads, bound salads, and French fries. It also forms the base for various o ...

ketchup Ketchup or catsup is a table condiment with a sweet and sour flavor. "Ketchup" now typically refers to tomato ketchup, although early recipes for different varieties contained mushrooms, oysters, mussels, egg whites, grapes, or walnuts, amon ...

, and garlic extract. The restaurant was popular in Puerto Rico between the late 1970s and mid-1980s (its custom-made building now houses

WORA-TV WORA-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, affiliated with American Broadcasting Company, ABC and owned by Telecinco Media Holdings. WORA-TV's studios are located on Ponce de León Avenue in Santurce, Puerto Rico, S ...

, one of the local television stations). For a while the frozen cornsticks were sold commercially in stores. *Flan-Es-Cedó' – Elmec Industries, Inc. has been the local flan producer for over thirty years *India / Medalla beer – the only remaining mass-produced Puerto Rican beer is brewed by " Cervecería India", one of the largest employers in town. ''Mayagüezanos'' are queued into morning rush hour, lunch and afternoon rush hour by the company's whistle, which rings at 7:00 am, 8:00 am, 12:00 pm, 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. (all times AST) * Rex Cream's Ice Cream – established in the mid-1960s by Chinese migrants who came to Puerto Rico by the way of

Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...

, Rex Cream is a chain of ice cream parlors that had its heyday in the late 1970s. The two flagship stores in Mayagüez, however, are still popular (particularly on

Good Friday Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, or Friday of the Passion of the Lord, is a solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary (Golgotha). It is observed during ...

, since one of the stores is the endpoint for a Good Friday religious procession) for producing alternative ice cream flavors, particularly a

corn Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout Poaceae, grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago ...

sherbet. * Tuna fish – At one time,

, Chicken of the Sea, and

Bumble Bee A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related genera ...

produced 80% of their collective production for consumption in the United States in Mayagüez. The last remaining tuna fish cannery closed in 2012 when Bumble Bee shuttered their operation. *A new distillery was founded in Mayagüez in 2009, Destilería Coquí. Its production is limited to 100 bottles a day, their main product is artisan

called pitorro. A defunct

cola Cola is a Carbonation, carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus essential oil, oils, and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked br ...

bottling operation in town produced "Vita Cola", a popular soft drink in Puerto Rico between the late 1940s and early 1960s. Mayagüez was a major rum producing city in Puerto Rico between the 1930s and 1970s . Several brands were produced by the city's three rum distillers. The most successful rum producing operation at the time was José González Clemente y Co., the bottlers of Ron Superior Puerto Rico, an award-winning dark rum that was bottled between 1909 and the late-1970s.

Festivals and events

Mayagüez celebrates its

festival in late January / early February. The is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment. Other festivals and events celebrated in Mayagüez include: *

Three Kings Day Epiphany ( ), also known as "Theophany" in Eastern Christian tradition, is a Christian feast day commemorating the visit of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the wedding at Cana. In Western Christianity, the feast commemorates principally ...

Festival – January * ''Romance on the Boulevard'' – February * Bomba and plena festival – February/March * Mothers Day concert – May * Fathers Day concert – June * Mayagüez

Carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...

– May * Danza Festival – May * Celebration of the founding of Mayagüez – September * Crafts fair – November * Christmas festivities – December * Anniversary of the Puerto Rican flag – December * Pedestrian Mayagüez at Plaza Colon – third Sunday of the month

Sports

Mayagüez hosted the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games for which the local and commonwealth governments have provided an investment of $250 million for, among other things, building two new stadiums (the first a re-built Isidoro García Baseball Stadium the second next to it a track and field and soccer stadium. Mayagüez also hosted the 2011 Caribbean Series. Mayagüez's National Superior Basketball League ( BSN) professional basketball team, the

Indios de Mayagüez The Indios de Mayagüez (Mayagüez Indians) are a baseball team in Puerto Rico's Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League, in Spanish). Based in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, the ''Indios' ...

, are named in honor of the city's Indian heritage. Its baseball winter league team ( LBPPR), the

, honor their Indian heritage and the home town's Cervecería India brewery. The professional soccer club Puerto Rico Sol, plays locally at local '' Mayagüez Athletics Stadium''. The professional

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

team Indias de Mayagüez from

Liga de Voleibol Superior Femenino The Liga de Voleibol Superior Femenino (LVSF) is a professional volleyball league in Puerto Rico. The competitions are organized by the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation (Federación Puertorriqueña de Voleibol, FPV). Current teams League c ...

, plays locally at local '' Palacio de Recreación y Deportes''. The "Justas" or inter-university games of the Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria de Puerto Rico, were held in Mayagüez in 2010 in preparation for the

Central American and Caribbean Games The Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC or CACGs) are a multi-sport regional championship event, held quadrennial (once every four years), typically in the middle (even) year between Summer Olympics. The games are for 32 countries and ...

. Also they were held in 2016 and they are to be held in 2017.

Tourism

There are 13 beaches in Mayagüez.

Landmarks and places of interest

*'' Centro Cultural Baudilio Vega Berríos'' (Municipal Cultural Center) * Casa Consistorial De Mayagüez (City Hall & City Council Chambers) *Casa Grande Museum * Gomez Residence * India Brewery * Plaza Colón *

Customs House A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting ...

(

U.S. Customs and Border Protection United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is the country's primary border control organization, charged with regulating and facilita ...

) * Parque del Litoral Israel "Shorty" Castro *Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church * Eugenio María de Hostos Monument *Central Presbyterian Church (

Presbyterian Church (USA) The Presbyterian Church (USA), abbreviated PCUSA, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination, denomination in the Religion in the United States, United States. It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States too. Its th ...

*Hostos Museum at Río Cañas Arriba barrio * José de Diego Park * Mayagüez Children's Library * Mayagüez Mall * Mayagüez Resort & Casino *'' Parque de los Próceres'' (Notable's Park) *''Parque Infantil del Milenio'' (Millennium Child Park) *Public Library (at Municipal Cultural Center) *Tropical Agricultural Research Station(

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commerc ...

ARS Station) *'' Teatro Yagüez'' (Yaguez Theater/Municipal Theater) *

(El Colegio) *

Urayoán Monument Urayoán was a Taíno "Cacique" (Chief) famous for ordering the drowning of Diego Salcedo to determine whether the Spanish were gods. He was the cacique of "Yucayeque del Yagüeka or Yagüeca", which today lies in the region between Añasco an ...

* RUM Planetarium * RUM General Library *Teatro Balboa. (Second Municipal Theater) * Tienda-Almacén Siempreviva

Gallery

Mayaguez Customs House.jpg, Customs House in Marina sector. Register of Historic Places Casa Pilar Defilló Museum House.jpg, Museum House of Pilar Defilló (mother of Pablo Casals) Entrada de la casa museo de Pilar Defilló (madre de Pablo Casals).jpg, Entrance to the House Museum of Pilar Defilló Museo Casa Grande.jpg, Casa Grande museum at Mendez Vigo Street Litoral Park.jpg, Parque del Litoral plazamayaguez.jpg, Plaza Colón with City Hall on background, Christmas 2006 nuestrasenoracandelariamayaguez.jpg, Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria Cathedral, Christmas 2006 UPRM Portal s.jpg, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez – Portico

Government

As one of Puerto Rico's 78

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

, Mayagüez's government has two executive and legislative branches. Those citizens eligible to vote, directly elect a mayor and the municipal assembly for four-year terms. The municipal government is housed in Mayagüez City Hall or ''Casa Alcaldia'', which faces the south side of the Plaza de Colon. A popularly elected mayor heads the executive branch, currently deputy mayor Jorge Luis Ramos Ruiz, serves in the position as Interim Mayor after the suspension of José Guillermo Rodríguez from the post pending an investigation. In addition to running the city's day-to-day operations and supervising associated departments, the mayor is also responsible for appointing a secretary-auditor and a treasurer. In the 2024 general elections, Ramos Ruiz was elected to serve a full, four-year term. Mayagüez's Municipal Assembly comprises sixteen elected officials, as defined in the Puerto Rico Law of Autonomous Municipalities of 1991. The city belongs to the Puerto Rico Senatorial district IV, which is represented by two Senators. In

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

, Jeison Rosa and Karen Michelle Román Rodríguez, both from the New Progressive Party (PNP), were elected as District Senators.

Public services

Law enforcement in Mayagüez is the joint responsibility of the Mayagüez Municipal Police Department and the Puerto Rico Police Department. The first fire fighters corps in the city was created in 1876. The city has three

Puerto Rico Police The Puerto Rico Police (PPR; , ), officially the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (, ), is a law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the entire Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is a division of the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safe ...

(State Police) facilities and one Municipal Police station, it also has the regional office of the State Emergency Management Bureau(NMEAD) as well as the offices of the Puerto Rico Seismic Network(Red Sismica de Puerto Rico) and the Caribbean Tsunami Warning Program who share facilities in the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus. It has numerous private ambulance service organizations which covered wide parts of the western coast of Puerto Rico and choose Mayagüez for its central location to the region. There are small volunteer organizations dedicated to aiding police and emergency services as requested by such.

Symbols

The has an official flag and coat of arms.

Flag

The wide cross represents Christianity brought to the

New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...

, who signed his documents with the phrase and the motto ''Christ Ferens'', which means: "He who has Christ." The blue and white waves between the third and fourth quarters recall the coat of arms granted to Columbus by kings

Ferdinand and Isabella The Catholic Monarchs were Queen Isabella I of Castile () and King Ferdinand II of Aragon (), whose marriage and joint rule marked the '' de facto'' unification of Spain. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, ...

. The waves represent the ocean (and particularly the

) through which he sailed to bring the gospel to these new lands. The blue and white waves symbolize the Yagüez River and evokes the nickname ''City of Pure Waters''. The red and white flames on the flag symbolize the traditional

bonfire A bonfire is a large and controlled outdoor fire, used for waste disposal or as part of a religious feast, such as Saint John's Eve. Etymology The earliest attestations date to the late 15th century, with the Catholicon Anglicum spelling i ...

s of Day of Our Lady of Candelaria ("Día de La Candelaria"), ignited in honor of the city's

(a tradition started for Spanish settlers from the

). The flag was officially adopted with the signing of City Ordinance 38, signed December 3, 1996.

Coat of arms

According to the Puerto Rican historian Federico Cedó Alzamora, the original version of the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

of Mayagüez was given to the city December 19, 1894, by the Queen Regent of Spain

Maria Christina of Austria Maria Christina Henriette Desideria Felicitas Raineria of Austria (; 21 July 1858 – 6 February 1929) was Queen of Spain as the second wife of Alfonso XII. She was queen regent during the vacancy of the throne between her husband's death in No ...

."Historia de Mayagüez 1760–1960"; by Subcomite de la Historia de Mayaüez (Author); Page: 92; Publisher: Talleres Graficos Interamericanos (1960); Language: Spanish The upper half of the coat of arms shows the columbine coat of arms recalls and commemorates the discovery of the Island of Borinquén (Puerto Rico) by Columbus in his second trip to the New World in 1493. The lower half of the coat of arms shows a stylized version of Columbus's landing on Puerto Rico. The explorer's crew disembarked at the western coast of the island, where several rivers spill their waters in the Mona Passage, among them the Yagüez, from which the name of Mayagüez is derived. The present version was reinterpreted by heraldist Roberto Biascochea Lota.

Anthem

The city's anthem was written by pianist and former music teacher Luciano Quiñones, a long-time resident and now "adopted son" of the city. Until this song's adoption, the

plena Plena is a genre of music and dance native to Puerto Rico. Origins The plena genre originated in Barrio San Antón, Ponce, Puerto Rico, around 1900. It was influenced by the bomba style of music. Originally, sung texts were not associated wit ...

"''A Mayagüez''", written by César Concepción, was used by many as an unofficial city song. Quiñones' composition was the winner of a contest sponsored by the city's municipality in 2003. Mayor José Guillermo Rodríguez and the Municipal Legislature entrusted the Advisory Board of Art and Culture of Mayagüez to hold a contest to select an anthem for the city. The selected composition was a danza by Mr Luciano Quiñones, who has a bachelor's degree in music, a piano professor the Escuela Libre de Música de Mayagüez, he is a music composer already winning nineteen abarrios in competitions held by the Institute of Puerto Rican culture, and the Circulo de Recreo de San Germán. The lyrics alludes to the emblematic symbols of Mayagüez; its nicknames, to its

Patron Saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...

, its taste of

, to its sunsets in the

bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...

, to the

, to Eugenio María de Hostos, their role as cultural cradle, the sympathy of the ladies and the dream of its valleys and its mountains. The anthem was presented to the people in a memorable concert held in commemoration of the 239 anniversary of the founding of the city on the night of September 18, 1999, interpreted by tenor, Mayagüez adopted son, Rafael José Díaz, Mayagüezana lyric soprano, Hilda Ramos, accompanied by the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra conducted by its Associate Director, Mayagüezana Roselyn Pabón, in the same place where such Symphony Orchestra offered his first concert forty years earlier: the Plaza Colón. This danza was recognized as the official anthem of Mayagüez through the Municipal Ordinance number 58, series 1999–2000, adopted on December 20, 1999, by the City Council, which was signed by the Mayor, Honorable José Guillermo Rodríguez on December 24, 1999. MIDI and recorded versions of the anthem can be listened to here.

Education

Public schools

The Residential Center for Educative Opportunities of Mayagüez, ( CROEM) is one of only two public boarding schools in Puerto Rico. The largest public high school in town is Eugenio María de Hostos High School. The other public high school in Mayagüez is Dr. Pedro Perea Fajardo Vocational High School. The former José De Diego High School was finally closed in 2009.

Private schools

The non-profit Southwestern Educational Society (SESO) maintains the Southwestern Community School, an English language college preparatory school. Other private schools include: Colegio San Benito, (CSB) (

Saint Benedict Benedict of Nursia (; ; 2 March 480 – 21 March 547), often known as Saint Benedict, was a Great Church, Christian monk. He is famed in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Churches, the Anglican Communion, and Old ...

College), the Academia de la Inmaculada Concepción (Academy of the Immaculate Conception), Colegio De La Milagrosa (College of Our Lady of Miracles), the Academia Adventista del Oeste (Western

Adventist Adventism is a branch of Protestant Christianity that believes in the imminent Second Coming (or the "Second Advent") of Jesus Christ. It originated in the 1830s in the United States during the Second Great Awakening when Baptist preacher Willi ...

Academy) and Academia Adventista de Bella Vista (Bella Vista Adventist Academy), Theopolis Christian Academy (TCA)

Colleges and universities

Mayagüez has become a major

, due in part to various higher learning institutions in the city. *

* Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez * Antillean Adventist University *

Carlos Albizu University Albizu University is a private university with its main campus in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a branch campus in Miami, Florida, and an additional instructional location in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. It focuses on psychology, health, education, and hum ...

There are also a number of junior colleges in the city: * Instituto Comercial de Puerto Rico Junior College * Instituto de Banca y Comercio * NUC University * Escuela Hotelera de San Juan - Recinto de Mayagüez

Health care and hospitals

* Mayagüez Medical Center * Hospital Perea *

Hospital San Antonio A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emergency ...

* Hospital Bella Vista * Clinica Yaguez * Policlinica Bella Vista

Transportation

Roads and highways

The dominant mode of transportation in Puerto Rico is the automobile. Mayagüez is served by two highways linking it to other parts of the island. Puerto Rico Highway 2 existing as an arterial road is a primary route between Ponce to the south-east and

Aguadilla Aguadilla (, ), founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city and municipality located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla is s ...

and

Arecibo Arecibo (; ) is a Arecibo barrio-pueblo, city and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Utuado, Puerto Rico, Utuado and Ciales, Puerto Rico, Ciale ...

to the north and north-east respectively. PR-2 is undergoing a conversion to a freeway between Ponce and Mayagüez. Another important route in Mayagüez is PR-102. It begins at an intersection with PR-2, about 2 miles north of Mayagüez Pueblo at the Mar y Sol development and runs along Mayagüez's coastal industrial areas to Joyuda, where it then turns east and terminates in Sabana Grande. The portion of the highway adjacent to the ''Estadio Isidoro Garcia'' was upgraded from a two-lane road into an urban boulevard in anticipation of the 2010 Centro-American and Caribbean Games celebrated in Mayagüez. In addition to this upgrade, an elevated by-pass was constructed from the coastal park site over the Yagüez River ending at the Concordia Housing Project. There are 41 bridges in Mayagüez.

Public transportation

Transportation in Mayagüez is limited to a trolley service, various private taxi companies and an occasional daytime syndicated ''público'' service named Mayagüez Urbano (Urban Mayagüez) that provide transportation between the main points of the city at a cost of $2.00 per route. Passenger transportation between Mayagüez and

is operated by the Linea Sultana, another syndicated service. The city operates three trolleys, free of charge, which run as shuttles between the downtown area and the Palacio de Recreación y Deportes. The

(UPRM) also runs an internal network of trolleys to carry its students inside campus and between UPRM's Mayagüez Terrace development and Palacio de Recreación y Deportes, linking here with the city's trolley service. There are some proposals to expand the municipal trolley service to serve inside the UPRM. For the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games the Puerto Rico's Department of Transportation and Public Works released an express public bus system operated with Autoridad Metropolitana de Autobuses (San Juan's Metropolitan Bus Authority) buses specially assigned to serve the city of Mayagüez. During the Mayagüez 2010 Games, this bus network was carrying passengers in a corridor along Highway 2 and some main roads. The UPRM trolleybus network was integrated into this service too. Although suspended after the Mayagüez 2010 Games ended, the system is expected to be re-established shortly.

Seaport

The Port of Mayagüez is the third busiest port in Puerto Rico. It was base for several years to several tuna and fish companies who made the port a considerable busy one. It was normal to see 3 to 4 ships docked at any given day but due to the Section 936 termination the industries started to leave until 2000 approximately when only the ferry and the ''Federacion de Industria Agropecuaria'' silos pier were left. It is located northwest of the central business district along Puerto Rico routes 64, 341, and 3341, and stretches for along the coast. Its main canal is wide and its depth ranges from , the water's depth along the piers ranges between . The port is protected from rough seas by reefs which run along its northern and western sections. On March 16, 2011, a new ferry service to the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...

was launched by America Cruise Ferries. Late 2016 the municipal administration awarded an administration contract to a private company after years of legal disputes and non-complying groups involved. The municipal administration had plans of development for the port back to 2004 when they received a portion of port area from the central government (the ferry pier and terminal) but 12 years later the port has seen little to no progress.

Airport

Mayagüez's airport, Eugenio María de Hostos Airport, also known as El Maní Airport, has had regular airline services for more than thirty years. It is located north of the central business district in the Sabanetas barrio. Before being inaugurated in 1955, the airport served as a military base. In the 1970s it had domestic service from Prinair, then from American Eagle and

Eastern Air Lines Eastern Air Lines (also colloquially known as Eastern) was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade ...

's regional carrier ''Eastern Metro Express'' in the 1980s. After Eastern went bankrupt in 1991, American Eagle remained the only airline serving the airport until it ended service to the city on April 30, 2005, due to poor loads. For a while, Fina Air served flights to the Dominican Republic before the airline went bankrupt. Cape Air currently serves the airport with five daily flights to

during the high season and three daily flights during the low season.

Notable people

* Wilkins – Is a Puerto Rican pop music singer and composer. * Maria Arrillaga – is a Puerto Rican poet who has been a professor at the University of Puerto Rico. * María Luisa Arcelay * J. J. Barea – former professional basketball player for the

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...

and

Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves (often referred to as the Wolves or T-wolves) are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Divisio ...

* Lucy Boscana – actress and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's television industry. * Baudilio Vega Berríos * Antonio Duvergé – was a Dominican general of French origin who served in the Dominican War of Independence. * Carlos Vargas Ferrer * Samuel Garcia Roman – artist * Eugenio María de Hostos – a Puerto Rican educator, philosopher, intellectual, lawyer, sociologist, novelist, and Puerto Rican independence advocate. * Keylla Hernández * Gina Lynn – Hall of fame Puerto Rican former pornographic actress, model, and stripper. *

Alicia Moreda Alicia Moreda Tuya (November 1, 1912 – June 13, 1983), was a soap opera actress, comedian, and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's television industry. Early years Moreda was born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, one of three children born to Alberto Moreda ...

– a soap opera actress, comedian, and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's television industry. * Olga A. Méndez *

Hernán Padilla Hernán Padilla Ramírez (born May 5, 1938) is a retired physician and former two-term Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Biography Graduated from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1963. After training as a nephrologist, he entered ...

Frankie Ruiz José Antonio Torresola Ruiz, better known as Frankie Ruiz (March 10, 1958 – August 9, 1998), was a Puerto Rican singer. He was a major figure in the salsa romántica subgenre that was popular in the 1980s and early 1990s. During his youth, ...

– was an American salsa singer and songwriter. He was a major figure in the salsa romántica era of 80's, 90's. * Noemí Ruiz * Roberto Roena * Roberto Sanchez Vilella * José E. Serrano, U.S. Congressman, 1990 to 2021 * Kobbo Santarrosa * Martín Travieso *

Rawy Torres Wilson Ramón Torres Zapata "Rawy Torres" is a Puerto Rican singer, composer, and guitarist, who was a member of the boy band, Menudo. Biography Torres joined Menudo in 1989, replacing Ricky Martin Enrique Martin Morales (born Decem ...

– Puerto Rican singer, composer, and guitarist, who was a member of the boy band Menudo * Madeline Willemsen

International relations

Mayagüez serves as a host city for two foreign consulates with business in Puerto Rico: * Dominican Republic * Hungary (Honorary Consulate)

Sister cities

* Quiroga, Michoacán, Mexico *

Cartagena, Colombia Cartagena ( ), known since the colonial era as Cartagena de Indias (), is a city and one of the major ports on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region, along the Caribbean Sea. Cartagena's past role as a link in the route ...

Book

* Gaudier, Martín, ''Genealogías, Biografías e Historia del Mayagüez de Ayer y Hoy y Antología de Puerto Rico'', 1957.

References

External links

Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
* * * * Current weather in Mayagüez from

* Peter van der Krogt'
page about the Columbus monument at Mayagüez's ''Plaza de Colón''
*
Puerto Rico Government Directory – Mayaquez
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayaguez, Puerto Rico Municipalities of Puerto Rico Mayagüez metropolitan area Populated places established in 1760 Port cities in Puerto Rico