Las Tejerías | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Flag  Seal | |
.svg)  Las Tejerías Location in Venezuela | |
| Coordinates:10°15′16.5″N67°10′7.7″W / 10.254583°N 67.168806°W /10.254583; -67.168806 | |
| Country |  Venezuela |
| State | Aragua |
| Municipality | Santos Michelena |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Regulo La Cruz(PSUV) |
| Area | |
• Total | 19 km2 (7.3 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 510 m (1,670 ft) |
| Population (2018) | |
• Total | 54,392 |
| Demonym | Tejerieña |
| Time zone | UTC−04:30 (VET) |
| Postal Code | 2119 1[1] |
Las Tejerías is a city inAragua,Venezuela. It is the capital of theSantos Michelena municipality, and it had a population of 54,392 people in 2018. The name of the city is thought to have originated frompottery, as well as the manufacture oftiles,bricks andadobes.
The city is located at 510 meters above sea level in the transitional zone between the coastal mountain range and the Aragua valleys. Its origins date back to the end of the 19th century, linked to the construction of theCaracas-Valencia railway. ThePan-American Highway and the Central Regional Highway run near to the city.
Much of the economy is based on industrial activities, whereagroindustries andmanufacturing stand out. There is agricultural development of pig breeding and sugar cane cultivation, but industrial and urban landscapes have replaced the fertile traditional agricultural spaces. Las Tejerías has two industrial zones of vital importance for the state of Aragua, with multiple important companies such as Mack de Venezuela, Galletera Puig, Concrecasa, La Montserratina and theChery vehicle assembler. Thefirst generation Range Rover was produced in the city.[2]
On September 28, 1993, an accident occurred on the Central Regional Highway, as a result of the accidental rupture of a gas pipeline adjacent to the road. The event has been remembered in Venezuelan public opinion since then as the Tragedy of Las Tejerías, which left 53 people dead and 70 injured.[3] In 2003, the Provegran Accident occurred in the city, leaving 9 dead.[4]
On the night of October 8, 2022, the Los Patos stream overflowed due to heavy rainfall caused byHurricane Julia, causing a landslide. The next day, 43 dead and more than 50 missing were officially confirmed. The president of VenezuelaNicolás Maduro decreed three days of mourning as a result of the tragedy.Delcy Rodríguez, the executive vice president of Venezuela, visited the site to evaluate and organize teams to care for those affected.[5][6][7]