Dorado... Golden City
Foundation:
In 1831 Dorado (do-RAH-do) was a ward of the municipality of Toa Baja. During several years, the ward grew forming its own population center. This center was called Pueblo Nuevo (New Town) to distinguish it from the old town, Toa Baja. Years later, the residents of the wards of Dorado, Iguillar, Mameya and other sectors belonging to Toa Baja made a request to the governor to establish Dorado as a independent municipality with the condition that the cost of construction of municipal projects be prorated.
In 1842, governor Santiago Méndez Vigo authorized the foundation of the town with the condition that the proposed projects and the territory be defined with the following wards: Dorado Pueblo, Iguillar, Maguayo, Mameya and Río Lajas. In 1848, the construction of the church was finished. In 1878, the Mameya ward disappeared and Iguillar underwent a name change, known by the name of Jiguillar. Years later, the Mameya ward reappears with the name of Mameyal and Jiguillar changed to Higuillar. Though the origin of the name of Dorado is not clearly known, several legends exist. The most accepted are: that the town was named in honor of a family from the town and the other is that it was named for its golden beaches.
During its early decades the economy of the recently founded town depended on sugar cane cultivation, cattle and the production of fruit. Roof tiles and bricks were manufactured and there were also several sugar cane refineries. Fishing was also a mean of subsistence.
During 1898, when Puerto Rico changed sovereignty under the Paris Peace Treaty, and under the Law for Consolidation of Certain Municipal Terms (1902), Dorado became again part of the municipality of Toa Baja. Later, a legislative law made it possible for Dorado to recover its independent municipality with its original wards and borders.
Location:
It is bordered by: the Atlantic Ocean on the north, Toa Alta on the south, Vega Alta on the west, and Toa Baja on the east.
Area:
59.8 sq km / 23.0 sq mi
Population:
34,017 (census 2000)
Population Density:
568.8 per sq km / 1,479.0 per sq mi
People are known as:
Doradeños
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Dorado is also known as:
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Ciudad Dorada (Golden City)
La Más Limpia de Puerto Rico (The Cleanest Of Puerto Rico)
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Wards:
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Census 2000:
Population by Wards - Dorado
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Habitants
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Dorado Town
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994
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Espinosa
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3,222
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Higuillar
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22,481
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Maguayo
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4,711
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Mameyal
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36
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Río Lajas
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2,573
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Total
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34,017
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Source:
Census 2000
Political Division - Administrative:
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Patron:
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San Antonio de Padua
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Topography:
Belonging to the region of the Northern Coastal Valleys, most of its terrain is level and less than 328 feet above sea level. The wooded hills of the region are the main characteristic of the Dorado landscape. There are elevations in the south that reach 656 feet and in the north where the hills only reach 262 feet of altitude.
Hydrography:
La Plata River and its affluents: the Cocal, Nuevo and Lajas rivers. It also has near the coast, in the Higuillar ward, the Mata Redonda lagoon and the Punta Fraile marsh.
Economy:
Commerce, tourism, manufacture (clothing & medical equipment).
Average Salary:
$388.49 weekly (1998)
Flag:
The flag is composed of three stripes of equal width: the upper and lower stripes are golden, and the center one is brown. A brown, equal-sided triangle is placed with its base at the hoist. The golden stripes symbolize the town's name, Dorado or "golden". The brown stripe stands for Dorado's Patron Saint, Saint Anthony of Padua.
Coat Of Arms:
Dorado's Coat Of Arms was officially adopted March 27, 1978, and its colors are gold, silver and brown. The crown is gold with brown windows. The three towers mean that Dorado is a town, a properly constituted municipality. Underneath the crown, we can observe five disks that form a "T", which is called Tau.
This "T" represents San Antonio de Padua, which is associated with the iris or lily flowers. The disks are brown and the lily flowers are silver, they represent the majestic La Plata River, which borders the town of Dorado to the east. The gold background of the Coat Of Arms denominates in a heraldic way the Talking Souls of the town. For example, in this case, the gold represents the name of the town; it is relative to the Patron San Antonio de Padua, whose veil is brown.
Public Schools sorted by educational levels.
Updated: 08/07/2003
Bayamón Region
Dorado District
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Name
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Level
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Telephone
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Address
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Elementary
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ELEMENTAL ALFONSO LÓPEZ GARCÍA
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K-6
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(787) 796-3223
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PO Box 938, P.R. 00646-0000
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ESPINOSA KUILAN
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K-6
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(787) 270-0594
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PO Box 728, P.R. 00646-0728
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ESPINOSA PARCELAS
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K-6
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(787) 883-3414
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PO Box 728, P.R. 00646-0000
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JOSÉ DE DIEGO
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K-6
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(787) 796-1232
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BO. PUERTOS CARR. 695 KM. 1 HM. 16, P.R. 00646-0000
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LUIS MUÑOZ RIVERA
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K-6
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(787) 796-6246
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PO Box 548, P.R. 00646-0548
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LUISA M. VALDERRAMA (SAN ANTONIO)
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K-6
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(787) 796-4410
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PO Box 728, P.R. 00646
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RÍO LAJAS
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K-6
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(787) 870-3416
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PO Box 628, P.R. 00646-0000
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JACINTO LÓPEZ MARTÍNEZ (TOA BAJA)
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PK-6
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(787) 796-1255
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PO Box 2474, P.R. 00951-2474
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Intermediate
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MARCELINO CANINO CANINO
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7-9
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(787) 796-2761
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PO Box 728, P.R. 00646-0000
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PRE-VOCACIONAL SANTA ROSA
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EE
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(787) 796-4055
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PO Box 728, P.R. 00646-0000
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RICARDO ARROYO LARACUENTE
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7-9
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(787) 796-1222
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PO Box 589, P.R. 00646-0000
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Secondary
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SU PEDRO LÓPEZ CANINO
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K-9
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(787) 883-4005
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PO Box 728, P.R. 00646-
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High School
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JOSÉ SANTOS ALEGRÍA
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10-12
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(787) 796-1520
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PO Box 728, P.R. 00646-0000
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Source:
Departamento De Educación
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Hymn:
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By Juan Alegría Rivera
Por fin, en las riberas
del Dorado querido,
las corrientes del Plata,
que corren sin cesar,
traen a sus orillas
sus perlas y corales,
que emergen adornando
desde el fondo de la mar.
Que emergen adornando
desde el fondo de la mar.
Son lindas sus montañas,
que alegran el paseo,
aspirando las brisas
que vienen desde el mar,
y en las noches de calma,
reciben las caricias,
de las pampas alegres
en que duerme el terrenal.
De las pampas alegres
en que duerme el terrenal.
Los días de mi vida
que ufano consagré
al culto del estudio
con incesante afán.
Hoy, son óptimos frutos
que en generoso empeño,
al pueblo doradeño
aquí vengo a brindar.
Al pueblo doradeño
aquí vengo a brindar.
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Events:
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Patron Festivities - June
Thanksgiving Fair - November
Cocolía Festival
Plata Festival - December
Infant Theater Festival
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Places To Visit:
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Bazar Park
Casa de Rey Museum
Ojo del Buey Regional Park
Cerro Gordo Beach
Sardinera Beach
Distinguished Doradeños Plaza
Juan Boria Theater
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Distinguished Citizens:
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Esteban A. De Coenaga (1882) - Dental Surgeon
José A. Alegría (1886-1965) - Lawyer, politician and writer
Juan Boria (1906-1995) - Negro Poetry
(biography)
Marcelino Juan Canino Salgado (1942) - Doctor
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Dorado Mayors 1842 - Present
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Year
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Mayor
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Year
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Mayor
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1842-1847
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Jacinto López Martínez
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1895
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Pedro López Canino
& Juan Vilá
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1848
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Jacinto López Martínez
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1896
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Pedro López Canino
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1849
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Miguel Aguilar
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1897
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Juan de Jesús
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1853
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Manuel Camilo de la Vega
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1898
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Pedro López Canino
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1854
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Juan C. González
& Arturo O'Neill
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1899
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Juan Umpierre Cestero
& Juan Vilá
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1858
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Joaquín Martorell
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1900
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Nemesio Guardiola
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1859
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Francisco Graxirema
& Juan Celis
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1901
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Andrés López
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1860
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Pablo Adrián Dueño
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1902
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José Maria Salgado
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1867-70
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Eduardo Alonso
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1905
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Juan Nieves Román
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1872
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José Iglesias Santiago,
Joaquín del Rosario
& Ángel García Maytin
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1908-15
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Pedro López Canino
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1873
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Juan Hernández
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1916
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Nicolás Durand
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1874
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Ambrosio Martorell
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1918
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José Andréu
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1875
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Jacinto López IIdo
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1921
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Martín Ducret
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1877
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José Brustenga
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1922
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Heracleo López
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1879
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Jacinto López IIdo
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1924
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Pedro López Canino
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1881
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Cruz Alegría
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1928 - 1936
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Alfredo López Marrero
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1882
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Jacinto López IIdo,
José Brustenga
& Cruz Alegría
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1940
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Eugenio Córdova López
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1883-84
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Jacinto López IIdo
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1945
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Eladio Rodríguez
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1885
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Cruz Alegría
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1948
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Luis Rivera Santana
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1886
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José Brustenga
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1952
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Manuel Morales García
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1887
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José Arzola
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1956
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José Marrero Díaz
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1890
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Genaro Caparros Oller
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1960 - 1976
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?
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1891
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Gustavo Padrón
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1960
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Eladio Rodríguez
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1892
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Martín Ducret
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1976 - 1984
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Alfonso López Chaar
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1893
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José Jiménez Sicardó
& Pedro López Canino
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1984 - 1992
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?
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1894
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Cándido Alers,
Pedro López Canino
& Juan B. Castro
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1992 - Present
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Carlos A. López Rivera
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Source: Dorado, Puerto Rico: Historia, Cultura, Biografias y Lecturas by
Marcelino J. Canino Salgado, p. 76-77 and the Comisión Estatal de Elecciones.
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Mayor:
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Hon. Carlos A. López Rivera (PPD)
P.O. Box 588
Dorado, P.R. 00646
(787) 796- 1230
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2004 General Election Results
Municipality of Dorado
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Party
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Candidate
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Votes
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Percent
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CARLITOS LOPEZ
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10,822
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56.32%
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BURGOS, VICTOR
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7,721
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40.18%
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ROBERTO RODRIGUEZ
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521
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2.71%
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*OTHERS
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152
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0.79%
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Total
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19,216
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Breakdown of Others
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Reported Voting Centers Participation
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Direct Nomination
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7
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Registered Voters
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23,486
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Blank
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83
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Votes
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19,216
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Null
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62
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Participation Percent
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81.82%
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Reported Voting Centers: 80 out of 80 for 100.00%
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Total Registered
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23,486
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Source: Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico
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