Blue symbolizes the sky and seas, red the warriors' blood and white freedom and peace. The hex codes for the colors: #0033A0 for blue, #C8102E for red, #FFFFFF for white. The flag was first used in 1895 and made official in 1952. In 1995, the shades of blue were changed and adopted as “medium blue”. The hues symbolize Puerto Rico's political preferences and the struggle for independence