Vega Baja mayor accuses central gov’t of mishandling funds for sports facilities

Vega Baja Mayor Marcos Cruz Molina

By The Star Staff

Vega Baja Mayor Marcos Cruz Molina has formally requested an investigation by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience (COR3), and the Office of the Inspector General into the Department of Recreation and Sports (DRD by its initials in Spanish). He alleges that there has been misappropriation of funds intended for the rehabilitation of state-owned sports facilities in his municipality.

Cruz Molina’s complaint comes after more than eight years of waiting since Hurricane Maria struck in September 2017, causing significant damage to recreational and sports infrastructure across the island, including 15 DRD-owned facilities in Vega Baja, the mayor said.

According to official documents and damage assessments conducted by FEMA, the facilities were identified as eligible for federal recovery funds.

“About eight years have passed, and these facilities have still not been renovated,” the mayor said. “This directly affects hundreds of young people, sports teams, and communities that rely on these spaces for their physical, social, and emotional development.”

The sports facilities in Vega Baja to which Cruz Molina referred include: Alturas de Vega Baja, Jardines de Vega Baja, El Rosario, Villa Real, El Verde Urbanization, Pugnado Afuera Neighborhood, El Guárico, Monte Carlo, Sabana Neighborhood, Urban Park 2, Las Flores Urbanization, Tortuguero Ranches, Las Flores Urbanization, Brasilia Urbanization, Caribe Neighborhood, Colinas del Marqués Urbanization, San Vicente Urbanization, and Villa Pinares Urbanization.

Cruz Molina said further that the DRD’s apparent lack of action limits recreational and sports opportunities for residents and poses risks to the safety of citizens. Some individuals continue to use the deteriorating spaces despite the hazards.

“The people of Vega Baja have been patient, but we cannot allow recovery to become a broken promise,” the mayor said. “We demand an investigation into potential misappropriation of funds, negligence, or noncompliance on the part of the DRD. Our communities deserve answers and, above all, action. The time for waiting is over.”

Cruz Molina urged that the central government be held accountable and that it create an urgent plan to reactivate pending projects, ensuring equitable access to functional sports facilities for all municipalities.