Fonseca, La Guajira

Infobox City
official_name = Fonseca
nickname =
motto = "Siempre de la Mano con el Pueblo"
"Always by the People"


imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of the town and municipality of Fonseca in the Department of La Guajira.
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = Region
subdivision_type2 = Department
subdivision_name = Colombia
subdivision_name1 = Caribbean
subdivision_name2 = La Guajira
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Pedro Manjarrez Fragoso (ASI) [ [http://www.registraduria.gov.co/reselec2007_esc/1028/x.html es icon Colombian Registry of the Civil State: 2007 election results] ]
established_title = Foundation
established_date =
area_magnitude =
area_total_sq_mi =
area_total_km2 = 662
area_land_sq_mi =
area_land_km2 =
area_water_sq_mi =
area_water_km2 =
area_water_percent =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_urban_km2 = 4.8
area_metro_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
population_as_of = 2005
population_note = [ [http://www.ocaribe.org/downloads/grupos/economia_competitividad/estudio_zif_guajira_venezuela.pdf es icon Observatorio del Caribe Colombiano: Grupo Regional de investigación en economía y competitividad en el Caribe colombiano by Weildler Guerra, Paola Quintero, Jorge Quintero and Ana María Maldonado] ]
population_total = 22220
population_metro =
population_urban =
population_density_km2 =
population_density_sq_mi =
timezone =
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST =
utc_offset_DST =
latd= |latm= |lats= |latN=
longd= |longm= |longs= |longW=
elevation_m = 11.8
elevation_ft =
website =
[http://fonseca-guajira.gov.co/sitio.shtml fonseca-guajira.gov.co/]
footnotes = ^*

Fonseca is a town and municipality located in the Colombian Department of La Guajira. The town celebrates the Festival del Retorno in honor of St Augustine with religious celebrations, vallenato music events and others.

Geography

The municipality of Fonseca has a total area of 622 km² at an altitude over sea level of 11 m over sea level at the seat of the municipality. The municipality is on a depression in the valley of the Rancheria River which flows through the municipality from west to east, between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serrania del Perija. [ [http://www.laguajira.gov.co/municipios/fonseca.htm es icon Government of La Guajira: Geography of Fonseca] ] [ [http://fonseca-guajira.gov.co/apc-aa-files/62613232343862363735333365653231/PLAN_DE_DESARROLLO_2004___2007__FONSECA.pdf es icon Fonseca Developing Plan 2004: Area and Location] ] [ [http://fonseca-guajira.gov.co/nuestromunicipio.shtml?apc=m-I1--&m=f&s=m es icon Fonseca: Geography] ]

Fonseca limits to the north with the municipality of Riohacha and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range; to the south with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Serrania del Perija mountains; to the east with the municipality of Barrancas and to the west narrowly with the municipality of San Juan del Cesar. [ [http://fonseca-guajira.gov.co/nuestromunicipio.shtml?apc=m-I1--&m=f&s=m es icon Fonseca: Geography] ]

The average temperature through out the year is of 28°Cº variating only between the two rainy seasons and two dry seasons or by altitude due to the mountainous environment. [ [http://fonseca-guajira.gov.co/nuestromunicipio.shtml?apc=m-I1--&m=f&s=m es icon Fonseca: Climate] ]

History

The area of Fonseca was inhabited by different indigenous groups; Chimilas, Tupes, Guajiros, Cariachiles and Motilones. [ [http://fonseca-guajira.gov.co/nuestromunicipio.shtml?apc=m-I1--&m=f&s=m es icon Fonseca: History] ]

There are two hypothesis about the foundation of Fonseca. One describes that by the year 1700 Catalan colonizer Agustín Fonseca and Italian José Agustín Parodi Ovalle founded the village. [ [http://www.laguajira.gov.co/municipios/fonseca.htm es icon Government of La Guajira: History of Fonseca] ]

Agustín Fonseca was the leader of a group of adventurers who settled by the Rancheria river, but in a rainy season the river flooded the area bringing diseases. They moved to a dryer place on what is supposedly the present-day main plaza of Fonseca. José Agustín Parodi Ovalle was a captain in the Spanish military and arrived by orders of the Spanish monarchy. [ [http://fonseca-guajira.gov.co/nuestromunicipio.shtml?apc=m-I1--&m=f&s=m es icon Fonseca: History] ]

In 1773 the settlement of Fonseca was registered as jurisdiction of the Province of Santa Marta. On June 13, 1829 Fonseca became a municipality of the Intendencia of La Guajira by Decree 1954. [ [http://fonseca-guajira.gov.co/nuestromunicipio.shtml?apc=m-I1--&m=f&s=m es icon Fonseca: History] ] Fonseca became a municipality of the Department of La Guajira in 1954. [ [http://www.laguajira.gov.co/municipios/fonseca.htm es icon Government of La Guajira: History of Fonseca] ]

Colombian armed conflict

Since the 1970s Barrancas has been influenced by the Colombian armed conflict because of its strategic location between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the Serrania del Perija mountain ranges and the border with Venezuela. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) through its Caribbean Bloc's 59th, 19th and 41st fronts and the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla Gustavo Palmesano Front have practiced selective assassinations, kidnappings, extortions, forcedly recruitments, town sieges, arms and illegal drugs trafficking among others against the Colombian government and the civilian population. [ [http://www.derechoshumanos.gov.co/observatorio/departamentos/2007/guajira.pdf es icon Government of Colombia - Human rights in La Guajira] ]

The United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) appeared in the area in the early 2000s led by alias Jorge 40. After a violent presence in the area but also dissipating the guerrillas presence, the AUC demobilized in 2006. [ [http://www.derechoshumanos.gov.co/observatorio/departamentos/2007/guajira.pdf es icon Government of Colombia - Human rights in La Guajira] ]

Politics

Administrative divisions

The municipality seat of Fonseca has some 32 neighborhoods mostly houses. The municipality also has three corregimientos; Conejo, El Hatico and Sitio Nuevo. Eight police inspections: Bangañitas, El Confuso, Los Altos, Sabaneta, Los Pondores, Cardonal, Trigo and Cañaboba. Some twenty veredas: El Porvenir, El Potrero, Jaguey, Puyalito, El Puy, Potrerito, Los Toquitos, Hatico Viejo, La Yaya, San Agustín, Puerto López, Las Bendiciones, Las Marimondas, Las Colonias, La Villa, Guamachal, Mamarongo, El Chorro and Mamonal. There is one indigenous reserve called Resguardo Indígena de Mayabangloma. [ [http://fonseca-guajira.gov.co/apc-aa-files/62613232343862363735333365653231/PLAN_DE_DESARROLLO_2004___2007__FONSECA.pdf es icon Fonseca Development Plan 2004: Sub-duvisions] ]

Demographics

Population data pertaining to the municipality of Fonseca from the year 2000 to 2004.

Culture

Fonseca celebrates the "Festival del Retorno" (Festival of the Return) every year in which people from Fonseca living in other towns, regions or countries are celebrated for their return to town. [ [http://www.mifonseca.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=28 es icon mifonseca.net: Festival del Retorno] ]

References

External links

*es icon [http://fonseca-guajira.gov.co/sitio.shtml Fonseca official website]
*es icon [http://www.laguajira.gov.co/municipios/fonseca.htm Gobernacion de La Guajira - Fonseca]
*es icon [http://www.mifonseca.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=28 mifonseca.com - Festival del Retorno in Fonseca]