---

According to documents compiled by historian Luis Eduardo Páez Courvel and published in the work entitled ´´Las Encomiendas de Pamplona´´, there are land concessions called ´´ Encomiendas de Bochagá´´, a place where the chief of the same name dominated. These lands that were entrusted to Don Enrique Durán and his cousin. General Pedro de Ursúa granted the encomiendas in 1555.

The foundation of the first parish occurred in 1719, and the first parish priest was Fray Pedro de Andrade y Brito, who was accompanied as curators and doctriners by priests José Manuel Valdús and Ignacio Nicolás de Buitrago.

Among the founding Indians, the historical tradition cites José Mónaga Guerrero and his brothers Agustín, Antonio Víctor and Capriano; Tomás Bochagá, Victoriano Jove, Jacinto Balsa, Melchora Somoza, Tiburcio and Juan Bateca.





Full Name: Labateca

Foundation: 1719.

Founder: Juan Romualdo Bateca.

Population: DANE 2005 Census: 5852 inhabitants

Altitude: 1,566 meters above sea level.

Extension: 253 Km2

Climate: Average 20º C.

Distance to Cúcuta: 113 Km

Geographic coordinates: Longitude west of Greenwich 72º 29´, North latitude 7º 19´

Limits: North: Pamplonita and Toledo,

South: Chitagá,

East: Toledo,

West: Chitagá and Pamplona.



Administrative divition:

Rivers: Chitagá, Valegrá, Culagá and the Carrizal, Aposentos, Agua azul, Lirgua, El Cojito, El Volcán, La Angelina, Juncal streams.

Region: South East

Economy:

Agriculture: coffee, corn, banana, arracacha, sugar cane, citrus, pea and beans.

Livestock: Cattle, pigs, sheep and poultry.





Holidays:

February 2 to 15: Our Lady of Sorrows, Patron

July 16: Virgen del Carmen

Easter

December: Christmas Bonus

Tourist sites:

Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Temple

Rivers Culagá, Chitagá and Valegrá, Cascada Lirgua, Siscatá, La Chorrera and Burgueña

Principal Park

Bust of the Liberator

---