Last modified: 2004-07-17 by dov gutterman
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by Blas Delgado
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The flag of the "Grito de
Lares" has been the official municipal flag of Lares
since 1952, and the star is supposed to be white and not
"pale yellow star". Most texts (including the one on
the Lexjuris site) say that the star is white, and . However,
another difference is that, according to my source, the width of
each limb (arm?) of the cross is supposed to be one-third of the
width of the flag. As for proportions, , the image of the flag of
"Grito de Lares" is
unusually long, so probably the current version is shorter.
This city of 29,015 inhabitants was founded in 1827. The flag of
Lares has a particular historical origin. It is worth noting that
for once, the Coat of Arms is inspired by the
flag. At the end of May/beginning of June, 1868, in a meeting of
the Junta Centro Bravo, don Manuel Rojas presented the design of
a flag, imagined by Dr. Ramón [Ramo'n] Emeterio Betances, to be
used as a symbol of the Grito de Lares and flag of Puerto Rico
when the nation's independence would be gained. This flag
consists of a white Latin cross at the centre, "the width of
its limbs being equal to one-third of the width of the flag
[emblem]". The two upper rectangles are sky blue, the lower
ones brilliant red, and a white five-pointed star is
placed at the centre of the upper left rectangle. The flag was
proclaimed the official representation of the Municipality of
Lares in 1952 by the Municipal Assembly . Description of the flag
is the following: The white cross conveys the desire for a
homeland and redemption [or is it the recovery of their rights?].
The red refers to the blood shed by the heroes of the revolt. The
star stands for liberty ["en el azul soledad" -- lonely
in the blue?].
Thanh-Tâm Le, 11 January 1999
Flag first presented in 1868. It was the symbol of the
revolution of 23 September 1868, when it was known as "Grito
de Lares". Officially adopted in 1952. The Coat
of Arms, adopted 1952, is derived from the flag of Lares. The
name Lares is derived from a village in Badajoz (Spain), called
Llares, where the conquistador Rodrigo y Amador de Lares, who
arrived here in 1519, came from. Lares was founded 1827 and is in
northwest Puerto Rico
Jarig Bakker, 1 Febuary 2000
Is there any connection between the historical (and local)
flag of Lares (Puerto Rico) and the old
national flag (1844-1861) of the Dominican Republic? They are
identical, except for the star on the upper hoist of the
puerto-rican flag...
Antonio Martins, 27 March 2000
There is a connection between the Dominican and the Lares
flag. Some of the leaders of the 1868 revolution were exiled in
the Dominican Republic and from there they came to Puerto Rico.
They had planned to bring arms and supplies from the Dom. Rep.
but the Spaniards were informed of their plans, so they had to
move ahead the date of the rising in Lares hoping that they could
hold long enough to receive the arm supplies. This was not the
case as the revolutionary forces were crushed in three days.
Becasue of their connection with the Dom. Rep. it was natural
that the leaders would choose a flag similar to that nation's.
The 1895 leaders did the same when they chose a flag similar to the Cuban
one, since they were intimately connected with the Cuban
struggle.
Victor Quinones, 31 March 2000
The original "Grito de Lares" flag is the same as
the one use today. It was originally created by Ramón Emeterio
Bentances to be the flag of the Puerto Rico Republic once
independent from Spain. The flag is identical to the original
Dominican Republic flag but with the five-pointed star. I do not
know of any relationship, but Puerto Rican independence was
thought about among several Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Dominicans
gathered in New York."
Blas Delgado, 25 April 2000
From <www.ngw.nl>:
"The coat of arms of Lares is based upon a flag created by
Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances y Alacán, who was an Puertorrican
independence activist, born in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico in 1827 and
died in France in 1898. This flag created by 1867-68 was inspired
by Dominican flag, because Dr. Betances was an Dominican Republic
ambassador to France and by the Dominican support to the
Puertorrican struggle for independence from Spain. This flag was
presented by Manuel Rojas (an underground partner of Betances in
Puerto Rico) to the underground Revolutionary Council meeting in
Lares in June 1868 and the Council members approved it. The Lares
flag was used officially for first time on the mountainous town
of Lares on September 23, 1868 when a revolutionary underground
army of volunteers took this town expelling its Spanish
authorities and proclaimed in it the Republic of Puerto Rico the
same day. The lack of reinforcements waited from outside and the
superior firepower of Spaniards defeated the Revolutionary Army
headed by Manuel Rojas on Sept. 24, 1868 in San Sebastián,
Puerto Rico (a market town near west of Lares), and the
revolution was crushed same day. The original Lares flag was
taken by a Spain's army officer as a war prize and many years
later transferred to the puertorrican people. Now is exhibited on
University of Puerto Rico's Museum. The features of this flag
(and over the coat of arms too) have this meaning:
- Top blue rectangles: Freedom from Spain
- White cross: Fatherhood and Equality for all Puertoricans
- Upper red rectangles: The blood restrained by independence
fighters
- White star over left blue rectangle: the country free and
independent
Many years later, in 1952, the Lares Municipality decided that
the historical flag raised in 1868 must be the Municipality
ensign too, in memory of the defeated Independence Revolution
that Lares housed and supported. The coat of arms adopted same
year has the same pattern of flag by the same reason. "
Nelson Román, 8 July 2004
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by Nelson L. Román, 6 July 2004