The Justas de Atletismo y Festival Deportivo de Puerto Rico () —better known as Las Justas Intercolegiales () or simply as Las Justas ()— is an intercollegiate sports competition held annually in Puerto Rico where Puerto Rican colleges and universities compete against each other in different sports. LAI calienta motores para Mayaguez 2010. Primera Hora. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 18 November 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2012.Para las Justas 2011: Pronostican cifra récord de asistencia. (Title in printed version: "Pronostican las Justas mas concurridas de la historia.") Jason Rodriguez Grafal. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. (Title in printed version: "Pronostican las Justas mas concurridas de la historia." Year 29. Issue 1427. Page 4.) 6 April 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2012. The event is sponsored by the Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria de Puerto Rico (LAI) and includes competitions in softball, basketball, beach volleyball, judo, table tennis, swimming, cheerleading, women's football, and athletics.A un mes de las Justas de la LAI: Hoy inicia el conteo regresivo para el famoso evento deportivo. CyberNews. El Vocero. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
The sporting event is supplemented by artistic presentations every evening after athletic events have come to an end.En sondeo de La Perla del Sur: Unánime el reclamo por las Justas. Jason Rodríguez Grafal. Ponce, Puerto Rico: La Perla del Sur. Year 27. Issue 1347. Page 6. 23 September 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2012. The athletics portion of the events is attended by some 20,000 spectators, while the cultural events receive upwards of 150,000 guests.Justas de la LAI serán en Mayagüez este año: Debido a los terremotos y la situación de emergencia en Ponce. NotiCentro. WAPA Deportes. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 10 February 2020. Accessed 10 February 2020.
For many years the event was held in San Juan, but in 1993 it was moved to the city of Ponce, where it remained until moving to Mayagüez in 2023. The week-long event takes place during the month of April.Alcaldesa de Ponce presenta plan de seguridad para las Justas. Emanuel Antonio Vera. Primera Hora. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 9 April 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2012. Due to the 2020 Puerto Rico earthquakes in the Ponce area, the 2020 edition of the Justas was moved from Ponce and were scheduled to take place in Mayagüez from 23 to 25 April at the Jose Antonio Figueroa Freyre Stadium.Justas de la LAI serán en Mayagüez este año: Debido a los terremotos y la situación de emergencia en Ponce. NotiCentro. WAPA Deportes. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 10 February 2020. Accessed 10 February 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria (LAI) announced on 15 March 2020, that the event was being suspended and that a new future date would be sought.La Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria suspende las Justas de Atletismo en Mayagüez La competición, que estaba pautada para el 23 de abril, no está cancelada definitivamente y se buscarán nuevas fechas. El Nuevo Dia. Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. 15 March 2020. Accessed 20 April 2020. Given the island-wide COVID-19 curfew and lockdown ordered by the Government of Puerto Rico subsequent to the 15 March LAI suspension decision date, on 13 April 2020 the LAI announced the event could not be held and canceled it for the remainder of the 2020 season. Voces del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 13 April 2020. Accessed 20 April 2020. The 2021 version of the event was also cancelled due to the pandemic.A la sombra del repunte del Covid: regresan las Justas a Ponce. Jason Rodríguez Grafal. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Year 39. Issue 2003. pp.3-4. 20-26 April 2022. Accessed 20 April 2022. Archive. Pedro Menéndez Sanabria. Voces del Sur. 22 January 2021. Accessed 2 February 2021. The 2022 games took place from 1-7 May 2022 and were the last ones to be held in Ponce.Justas de la LAI regresan a Ponce del 1 al 7 de mayo. EsNoticia. Issue 162. 28 January to 10 February 2022. pp.14-15. Accessed 28 January 2022. Archived.
Starting in 2023, the event was moved to Mayagüez with the athelitic events taking place at the Mayagüez Athletics Stadium. In September 2025, it was announced that Mayagüez had renewed their agreement to continue hosting the event until at least 2028.
History
Las Justas date back to the creation of Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria de Puerto Rico (English: Puerto Rico Intercollegiate Athletic League). The league was founded in 1929 by Cosme Beitía of the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, Charles Leker for the Instituto Politécnico de San German, and Luis Izquierdo Galo y José D. Morales from the Colegio de Agricultura y Artes Mecánicas of Mayagüez. Las Justas began as a three-event competition between the institutions in the year 1929: baseball, basketball, and athletics.Wilfredo Torres. Historia de las Justas, 1929-1998. San German, Puerto Rico. 1999.
Originally it included only male participants but starting with the 1969-1970 academic year women began competing as well. Las Justas had been moved to Ponce in 1993 as a test for the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games. For many years the event was held in San Juan, but in 1993 El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 18 April 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2012. the event was moved to the city of PonceLas Justas se quedan en Ponce. Amigos de Ponce. 21 January 2010. Univision. (Originally published in El Nuevo Dia Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) Retrieved 4 August 2012. which has all the required facilities for holding the event. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 18 April 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2012. In 2010 the event was held in Mayagüez in preparation for the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games. LAI calienta motores para Mayagüez 2010. Primera Hora. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 18 November 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2012. The event resumed in Ponce in 2011, and continued in Ponce in 2012.Ponce se duplicará durante las Justas. Jason Rodríguez Grafal. Ponce, Puerto Rico: La Perla del Sur. Year 30. Issue 1480. Page 4. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
Venue When the event was hosted in Ponce, sporting events would take place at the sports facilities of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico, the athletic field at urbanización Villa del Carmen, Polideportivo at urbanización Los Caobos, Paquito Montaner Stadium, Auditorio Juan Pachín Vicéns, and the Piscina Olímpica Víctor Vassallo.Se apercibe Ponce para las Justas. Raúl Camilo Torres. El Vocero. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012. There is an error in the news media report: Sixto Escobar is not located in Ponce, but in San Juan. As such the news report should say Paquito Montaner which is the stadium in Ponce for baseball, track and field or other similar athletic activitiesRetendrá las Justas por dos años más. Reinaldo Millán. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Year 31. Retrieved 27 November 2012. Musical events took place at Plaza Las Delicias.Se apercibe Ponce para las Justas. Raúl Camilo Torres. El Vocero. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012. La Guancha is also another recreational and musical venue.Ponce se duplicará durante las Justas. Jason Rodríguez Grafal. Ponce, Puerto Rico: La Perla del Sur. Year 30. Issue 1480. Page 4. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
Currently in Mayaguez, sporting events take place at Estadio Centro Americano Jose Antonio Figueroa Freyre - Atheletics / Track and Field and Soccer Palacio de Recreación y Deportes - Cheer/Dance and Basketball Rafael A. Mangual Coliseum - Table Tennis and Judo RUM Natatorium - Swimming Parque del Litoral - Beach Volleyball Hermes Acevedo Park - Women's Softball Interamerican University of Puerto Rico - Athletics Prelims
Menwhile musical events would take place in downtown Mayagüez with different stages across the city center. Main stage was located between Jose de Diego street and Mendez Vigo street and adittional stages were located in Calle De La Candelaria and Calle Bosque. In 2026 the concept for the music festival was overhauled due to construction at the Jose De Diego lot where the original stage was placed. The new concept is called Justas Fest and it will feature 3 stages, one outside the Palacio de Recreación y Deportes at the Frankie Ruiz Acoustic stage, one at the Parque de los Próceres and one at Calle Martinez Nadal. The event will take place across three days and for the first time ever it will be a ticketed event with tickets on sale through Ticketera.
Security With over 200,000Alcaldesa de Ponce presenta plan de seguridad para las Justas. Emanuel Antonio Vera. Primera Hora. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 9 April 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2012. people attending Las Justas every year, security has been a major concern.Justas: otro año sin incidentes graves. Omar Alfonso. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 27 November 2012. In 2010, for example, 13 people were arrested for drug activities during the events. Las Justas, it is said, has evolved into a Puerto Rican-style Spring Break.Justas: Is it a track meet or an excuse to party?. Gabrielle Paese. Puerto Rico Herald. 22 April 2005. Retrieved 27 November 2012. Close to 1,500 security personnel patrol the event for security. A number of items are not permitted in the areas where activities of Las Justas are celebrated, including both sporting events and associated musical celebrations. Coolers, liquids not in their original containers, glass bottles, umbrellas, baseball bats, canes, and fire arms are some of the items that are excluded.Se apercibe Ponce para las Justas. Raúl Camilo Torres. El Vocero. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012. In 2012, Enrique Arrarás Mir, the Commissioner of the event, said that “the safest place in all of Puerto Rico during the celebration of Las Justas will be the city of Ponce”. In 2011, in Mayaguez, there were also arrests for drunkness and drug trafficking. Rival en el horizonte: Quieren repetir Justas alcaldes del Oeste. Luis Penchi. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 27 November 2012. In 2014, electronic scanners were implemented at checkpoints, doing away with the former and slower manual frisk system.No habrá cacheo en las Justas de Ponce. (Title printed version: Comisionado: No habra cateo en las Justas de Ponce.) Jason Rodríguez Grafal. La Perla del Sur. Year 32. Issue 1583. Page 6. 2 April 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
In 2025, as part of an initiative to ensure security at the event the Municipality of Mayagüez announced the placement of security cameras that cover the entire downtown area (where the music festival is held). Additionally, the system integrates Artificial Intelligence that can monitor streets automatically and read license plates on vehicles along with high resolution cameras and Pan–tilt–zoom cameras that allow monitoring in real time. The control center for this system is located within Mayagüez City Hall and it is complimented by mobile control centers located in the vicinity of the music festival.
Ahead of the 2026 events it was announced that the music festivals associated with the event would no longer be free with tickets going on sale for the 3 day event through the Ticketera platform. For the new events attendees will have to go through security points and present their tickets before accessing the shows.
Economy