List of mayors of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico facts for kids
Welcome to Mayagüez, a lively city on the west coast of Puerto Rico! Every city needs leaders to help it run smoothly and make important decisions. These leaders are called mayors. A mayor is like the head of the city's government. They work to improve the city, manage its services, and represent its people.
This article shares a list of the amazing people who have served as mayors of Mayagüez throughout history. They have all played a part in shaping the city we know today.
Contents
What Does a Mayor Do?
A mayor has many important jobs. They oversee city departments like public works, parks, and safety. They also work with the city council to create laws and manage the city's money. Mayors help make sure that Mayagüez is a great place to live, work, and visit. They listen to the people and try to solve problems that affect the community.
Mayors of Mayagüez: A Look Back
The history of Mayagüez is filled with many leaders who guided the city through different times. From the 1800s to today, each mayor has contributed to the city's growth and development. Looking at this list helps us understand how Mayagüez has changed over the years.
Leaders of the 1800s
In the 1800s, Mayagüez was growing and changing. The mayors during this time helped set up many of the city's first services and rules. Some mayors served for many years, while others were in office for shorter periods. You'll see some names appear more than once, showing they were chosen to lead multiple times. The term "(Int.)" means "Interim," which is a temporary mayor. "(Acci.)" means "Accidental," also a temporary role.
| # | Name | Office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | José Ma. Ramirez de Arellano | 1823 | |
| 2 | Felix Monteagudo (Int.) | 1828 | |
| 3 | José Ramón Pagán (Int.) | 1833 | |
| 4 | Rafael Mangual | 1836 | |
| 5 | José Ant. de Cucullu | 1837 | Conservative |
| 6 | Fernando Lloreda (Int.) | 1838 | |
| 7 | Simón María Orama (Int.) | 1838 | |
| 8 | Esteban Nadal (Int.) | 1839 | |
| 9 | Agustin Feliú | 1841 | |
| 10 | Juan José de Cartagena | 1842 | Conservative |
| 11 | Esteban Nadal | 1843 | |
| 12 | Gerónimo Patxot (Int.) | 1845 | |
| 13 | José Basora (Int.) | 1846 | |
| 14 | Juan José de Cartagena | 1847 | Conservative |
| 15 | Pablo Moreu (Int.) | 1847 | |
| 16 | José Antonio Ruiz (Int.) | 1848 | |
| 17 | Cristóbal Blanch | 1848 | |
| 18 | José Ant. de Cucullu | 1848 | Conservative |
| 19 | Isodoro Aviño (Int.) | 1849 | |
| 20 | Juan Davis (Int.) | 1850 | |
| 21 | Luis Torrellas (Int.) | 1851 | |
| 22 | Manuel Cedeño (Int.) | 1851 | Liberal |
| 23 | Leonardo de Campos | 1852 | Liberal |
| 24 | Lorenzo Sojo (Int.) | 1852 | |
| 25 | Buenaventura Plaja (Int.) | 1855 | |
| 26 | Antonio Caparrós | 1855 | |
| 27 | Hilarión Pérez Guerra | 1856 | |
| 28 | Magin Vidal (Int.) | 1856 | |
| 29 | José Ant. de Cucullu | 1857 | Conservative |
| 30 | Sebastián Pratts (Int.) | 1857 | |
| 31 | Antonio Annoni (Int.) | 1857 | |
| 32 | Salvador Badrena (Int.) | 1859 | |
| 33 | Antonio Blanes (Int.) | 1860 | |
| 34 | Bernardo Lloreda | 1861 | |
| 35 | Magin Raldiris (Int.) | 1862 | |
| 36 | Policarpo Alvarez | 1862 | |
| 37 | Pedro José de Olaguibel | 1862 | |
| 38 | Francisco Carbó | 1863 | |
| 39 | José Chavarri (Int.) | 1863 | |
| 40 | Rafael Blanes (Int.) | 1864 | |
| 41 | Francisco Carreras (Int.) | 1865 | |
| 42 | Cagetano Roger (Int.) | 1866 | Conservative |
| 43 | Bruno Ruiz de Porras (Int.) | 1866 | Conservative |
| 44 | Antonio de Balboa Blanes | 1866 | Conservative |
| 45 | Cayetano Roger (Accidental) | 1870 | Conservative |
| 46 | Eduardo Quesada (Acci.) | 1870 | |
| 47 | Col. Enrique Sánchez (Acci.) | 1870 | |
| 48 | Esteban Nadal | 1870 | Conservative |
| 49 | José Antonio Annoni | 1872 | |
| 50 | Felipe Goyco Quiñones | 1874 | |
| 51 | Manuel Pratts | 1875 | Liberal |
| 52 | Pedro de Nieva (Int.) | 1875 | Liberal |
| 53 | Buenaventura Plaja (Int.) | 1876 | Liberal |
| 54 | José F. Gonze | 1878 | |
| 55 | Juan J. Mangual (Int.) | 1878 | |
| 56 | Pedro José de Olaguibel | 1879 | Conservative |
| 57 | Juan Mercader (Int.) | 1879 | |
| 58 | Antonio Frau (Int.) | 1880 | |
| 59 | Guillermo Frontera | 1883 | Conservative |
| 60 | Pedro José Olaquibel | 1887 | Conservative |
| 61 | José de Jesús Domínguez | 1890 | |
| 62 | Carlos J. Monagas (Int.) | 1890 | |
| 63 | Salvador Suau y Mulet | 1891 | Conservative |
| 64 | Francisco Blanes | 1892 | Liberal |
| 65 | Miguel Pons | 1894 | |
| 66 | Salvador Suau y Mulet | 1895 | Conservative |
| 67 | Santiago Sáenz (Int.) | 1895 | |
| 68 | Eliseo Font y Guillot | 1898 | |
| 69 | Diego García St. Laurent | 1899 | |
| 70 | Charles L. Cooper (Acc.) | 1899 |
Leaders of the 1900s
The 20th century brought many changes to Mayagüez and Puerto Rico. Mayors during this period faced new challenges and opportunities. They helped Mayagüez grow into a modern city. You'll notice that political parties became more common during this time.
What is a Political Party?
A political party is a group of people who share similar ideas about how a government should be run. They work together to elect their members to public office, like the mayor's position. Different parties have different plans for the city. When you see a political party listed, it tells you about the mayor's main ideas and goals for Mayagüez.
| # | Name | Office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | Blas Nadal | 1900 | Incorporated Republican Party |
| 72 | Lorenzo Matínez (Int.) | 1901 | Incorporated Republican Party |
| 73 | Mateo Fajardo Cardona | 1902 | Incorporated Republican Party |
| 74 | Leopoldo Cabassa (Int.) | 1903 | Incorporated Republican Party |
| 75 | José A. Menéndez | 1906 | Pure Republican Party |
| 76 | Alberto Bravo (Int.) | 1907 | Incorporated Republican Party |
| 77 | Mariano Riera Palmer | 1908 | Union of Puerto Rico |
| 78 | Dr. Pedro Perea | 1911 | Incorporated Republican Party |
| 79 | Carlos Sabater (Int.) | 1913 | Incorporated Republican Party |
| 80 | Juan Rivera Vélez (Int.) | 1914 | |
| 81 | Jaime Picó Fernández(Int.) | 1918 | Incorporated Republican Party |
| 82 | Juan Cancio Ortiz (Int.) | 1918 | Incorporated Republican Party |
| 83 | Alejandro Galanes (Int.) | 1918 | Incorporated Republican Party |
| 84 | Juan Rullán Rivera | 1921–1932 | Union of Puerto Rico |
| 85 | Alfonso González Martínes | 1933–1937 | Alianza Puertoriqueña |
| 86 | Dr. Frank Olán Rivera (Int.) | 1936 | |
| 87 | Manuel Marín Gaudier | 1937–1941 | Alianza Puertoriqueña |
| 88 | Julio N. Matos | 1941 | Popular Democratic |
| 89 | Manuel A. Barreto | 1941–1947 | Popular Democratic |
| 91 | Baudilio Vega Berríos | 1947–1952 | Popular Democratic |
| 92 | Augusto Valentín Vizcarrondo | 1953–1956 | Popular Democratic |
| 93 | Baudilio Vega Berríos | 1957–1968 | Popular Democratic |
| 94 | Benjamín Cole | 1969–1992 | Popular Democratic |
| 95 | José Guillermo Rodríguez | 1993 – 2024 | Popular Democratic |
See Also
- Mayoralty in Puerto Rico
- Timeline of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
- Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rico
