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Ciales’ newly inaugurated mayor, Jesús Resto Rivera, who took office last Friday, revealed that as part of his cultural and economic revitalization plans, he formalized an agreement with the legal organization Pleneros de la Cresta and the cultural group Acción Valerosa. This initiative aims to rejuvenate a historic building next to City Hall to be transformed into the Yerba Bruja Cultural Center.
“In keeping with our commitment to the people of Ciales, we are dedicated to initiatives that promote economic and cultural growth,” the mayor stated. “The former Casino Español, which opened its doors in 1914 and has housed various businesses, including the Asturian hardware store owned by Maximino Fernández and later the jewelry and furniture shop run by Wincho Rodríguez, will welcome new projects and attractions.”
Currently, the building is recognized as part of the municipal heritage of this central mountain community.
Resto emphasized that the cultural initiative had been proposed to the previous administration on July 10, 2023. While it received approval from the municipal legislature in the same year, with backing from 10 private organizations and the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture (ICP), the initiative was inexplicably delayed.
“This new government is here to create opportunities,” he remarked. “We were already aware of the situation, and I instructed the legal team to proceed swiftly and responsibly. We have officially signed the agreement.”
During the building’s renovation period, the Yerba Bruja Cultural Center will operate from the Adalberto Santiago municipal theater, following the proposal put forth by the theater and sanctioned by the municipality.
Joseph Ocasio Rivera, Ciales’ cultural manager, mentioned that the cultural center, both now and when permanently established, “will serve as a hub for creativity, education, and connection.”
“It will be a space where children, youth, and adults can gather, learn, and contribute,” he noted. “This project will benefit not only Ciales but all Puerto Ricans seeking culture in our community.”
Los Pleneros de la Cresta began their journey in 2015, advocating for the island’s traditional plena music genre. A group of young individuals revitalized plena in its acoustic form, preserving its traditional rhythm and socially conscious lyrics.
