# Acatlán de Juárez

Acatlán de Juárez is a town and municipality, in Jalisco in central-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 154 km².
As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 22,540.

## History

The first settlers in the region were members of a tribe that was established in Cocula, They were defeated by the Purepecha in 1509.
In the year of 1550 the area for the first time attained the first level of a municipality, under the power of the viceroy of the New Spain, Antonio de Mendoza. During his rule he encountered discontent with people in Zacoalco de Torres, Ahualulco and Ameca. In the first half of the 17th century the Augustinians built a temple dedicated to Santa Ana, known today as the " Parroquia de Santa Ana".
In 1825 the area fell under the canton of Sayula. In 1858, Benito Juárez, in his journey through these lands, stayed at the inn in the town of Acatlán de Juárez, owned by Miguel Gomez. During his short stay, he was killed at the hands of the conservatives, and died saving the pastor of the place, Meliton Gutierrez Vargas. On March 22 of 1906, by decree 1158, the name of the earlier village changed its name from Santa Ana Acatlan to Acaltán de Juarez, and acquired the title of a town.

## Geography

Acatlán de Juárez is located in the centre of Jalisco state between the coordinates 20° 14'30" north latitude and 103° 32'30" west longitude at an altitude of 1,393 metres above sea level.
The municipality is bordered on the north by the municipalities of Tala and Tlajomulco de Zuñiga, to the east by the municipalities of Tlajomulco de Zuñiga, Jocotepec and Zacoalco de Torres to the south with the municipalities of Zacoalco de Torres and Villa Corona, and to the west by the municipalities of Villa Corona and Tala.
Approximately 57% of the land area is flat, especially in the middle east, west and south of the municipality with its characteristic valleys. The primary agricultural areas at some 39% are located to the north and east, with altitudes of 1,400 and 1,500 m. There are some hilly areas accounting for just 4% of the land area which lies to the south-east and north-west at altitudes that reach the 2.200 m.
The municipality belongs to the hydrological basin known as Lerma-Chapala-Santiago. Its water resources are provided by the Acatlán River and the springs El Cajón del Muerto and Charco Verde. In addition, several small streams flow in the rainy season, the Hurtado, Presa Chica and Bordo de San Gerardo.
The climate is dry with a dry winter and spring, semi-warm in the winter season. The average annual temperature is 20.5 °C, with an average annual rainfall of 714.7 mm and can reach up to 1.100, with the heaviest rainfall in July and August. Prevailing winds flow in the easterly direction.

## Economy

Agriculture is the primary activity in the municipality, with crops such as sugarcane, maize, beans, peanuts, sunflower and tomato. Livestock is also a main economic activity with the rearing of cattle, swine, sheep, goats, horses, rabbits and hives. Sugar and alcohol production are of note. The town has a wide variety of commercial establishments and provides services to tourists.

## Government

The form of government is democratic under the state and Federal elections, which are held every three years. At the municipal level, the mayor and her/his council are elected. The current municipal president is Jaime Enrique Velasco, from the Citizens' Movement party. He was elected in the election of 6 June 2021.
The municipality has 27 villages, the most important ones are: Acatlán de Juárez (town), Bellavista, El Plan, San José de los Pozos, San Pedro Valencia, and Villa de los Niños.

### Municipal presidents

| Municipal president | Term | Political party | Notes |
| Miguel Díaz C. | 1878 | | |
| Manuel López Portillo | 1879 | | |
| Basilio Rueda | 1880 | | |
| Pedro Zaragoza | 1881 | | |
| Manuel López Portillo | 1882 | | |
| Joaquín Baeza | 1883 | | |
| Silvestre Ruvalcaba | 1897 | | |
| J. M. Elizondo | 1897 | | |
| Basilio Rueda | 1898 | | |
| Francisco Baeza | 1898 | | |
| Basilio Rueda | 1898 | | |
| Tranquilino Elizondo | 1899 | | |
| Basilio Rueda | 1899 | | |
| Tranquilino Elizondo | 1899 | | |
| Joaquín Baeza | 1900 | | |
| Antonio Ruvalcaba | 1901 | | |
| Andrés T. Bobadilla | 1902 | | |
| Francisco Baeza | 1903 | | |
| Joaquín Baeza | 1903 | | |
| Miguel Corona | 1904 | | |
| Joaquín Baeza | 1904 | | Substitute |
| Ignacio Guzmán | 1904 | | Substitute |
| Joaquín Baeza | 1904 | | Substitute |
| Andrés Bobadilla | 1904 | | Substitute |
| Heladio Rueda | 1906 | | By operation of the law |
| Heladio Rueda | 1907 | | |
| Ignacio Guzmán | 1907 | | |
| Heladio Rueda | 1907 | | |
| Leopoldo López Portillo | 1907 | | |
| Heladio Rueda | 1907 | | |
| Joaquín Baeza | 1908 | | |
| Leopoldo López Portillo | 1908 | | |
| Joaquín Baeza | 1908 | | |
| Leopoldo López Portillo | 1909 | | |
| Heladio Rueda | 1910 | | |
| Antonio Ruvalcaba | 1910 | | Substitute |
| Antonio Ruvalcaba | 1910 | | |
| Leopoldo López Portillo | 1911 | | |
| Antonio V. Alvarado | 1911 | | |
| Adalberto Olvera | 1912 | | |
| Manuel Vázquez | 1912 | | |
| Adalberto Olvera | 1912 | | |
| Manuel Vázquez | 1912 | | By operation of the law |
| Jesús V. García | 1912 | | By operation of the law |
| Adalberto Olvera | 1912 | | |
| Serapio Bobadilla | 1913 | | |
| José Ma. Villagrana | 1914 | | |
| Enrique Martínez | 1914 | | |
| Juan Zúñiga | 1914 | | |
| Primitivo Zepeda | 1915 | | Acting municipal president |
| Juan Zúñiga | 1915 | | |
| Francisco Corona | 1915 | | |
| Francisco Corona | 1916 | | |
| Gabriel Guerrero | 1916 | | |
| Basilio Jiménez | 1916 | | |
| Felipe Siordia | 1916 | | |
| Ignacio García | 1916 | | |
| Felipe Siordia | 1917 | | |
| Ignacio Siordia | 1918 | | |
| Marcos Gutiérrez | 1918 | | |
| Félix Ramírez | 1919 | | |
| Marcos Gutiérrez | 1919 | | |
| Matías García | 1919 | | By operation of the law |
| Marcos Gutiérrez | 1919 | | |
| Servando Rueda | 1920 | | |
| Saturnino Corral | 1920 | | |
| J. Félix Ramírez | 1920 | | Acting municipal president |
| José Aguilar | 1921 | | |
| Edmundo Bobadilla | 1921 | | |
| Aurelio López | 1921 | | Acting municipal president |
| Edmundo Bobadilla | 1921 | | |
| Andrés T. Bobadilla | 1922 | | |
| Saturnino Coral | 1922 | | |
| Apolonio Trujillo H. | 1922 | | |
| Saturnino Coral | 1922 | | |
| Servando Rizo | 1923 | | |
| Servando Rueda | 1923 | | |
| Apolonio Trujillo | 1923 | | |
| Apolonio Trujillo | 1924 | | |
| Rodrigo Pérez | 1924 | | |
| Concepción Cortés | 1924 | | |
| Ponciano Salas | 1924 | | |
| Jaime Castillo | 1924 | | |
| Roberto Cárdenas | 1924 | | |
| Roberto Cárdenas | 1925 | | |
| Francisco R. Flores | 1925 | | |
| Francisco R. Flores | 1926 | | |
| Manuel Ruvalcaba | 1926 | | |
| Saturnino Coral | 1926 | | |
| Francisco López García | 1926 | | |
| J. Félix Ramírez | 1927 | | |
| Ignacio Baeza | 1927 | | |
| Secundino Torres | 1927 | | |
| Francisco López García | 1928 | | |
| Benjamín Alamillo | 1928 | | |
| Andrés Larios | 1928 | | By operation of the law |
| Francisco López García | 1928 | | |
| Samuel R. Trujillo | 1929 | | |
| Francisco López García | 1930 | PNR | |
| Saturnino Coral | 1931 | PNR | |
| Lamberto Castellanos | 1932 | PNR | |
| Narciso Gutiérrez | 1933–1934 | PNR | |
| Aureliano Z. Alvarado | 1935 | PNR | |
| Pedro Villegas | 1936 | PNR | |
| Gonzalo Castillo | 1937 | PNR | |
| Margarito Ríos | 1938 | PRM | |
| Víctor Limón | 1939 | PRM | |
| Narciso Gutiérrez | 1940 | PRM | |
| Clemente Hermosillo | 1941–1942 | PRM | |
| José Grajeda Gómez | 1943–1944 | PRM | |
| Fidel García Gómez | 1945–1946 | PRM | |
| Silvestre Ruvalcaba Rizo | 1947–1948 | PRI | |
| N/A | 1949–1950 | | |
| N/A | 1951–1952 | | |
| José Hernández Velasco | 01-01-1953–31-12-1955 | PRI | |
| Silvestre Ruvalcaba Rizo | 01-01-1956–31-12-1958 | PRI | |
| J. Natividad Barrera García | 01-01-1959–31-12-1961 | PRI | |
| J. Jesús Ramírez Hernández | 01-01-1962–31-12-1964 | PRI | |
| Ignacio Meléndez Maldonado | 01-01-1965–31-12-1967 | PRI | |
| Isidoro Díaz Mejía | 01-01-1968–31-12-1970 | PRI | |
| Alberto Cuevas Zúñiga | 01-01-1971–31-12-1973 | PRI | |
| Apolonio Fúnez Cabrera | 01-01-1974–31-12-1976 | PRI | |
| Florencio Domínguez Íñiguez | 01-01-1977–31-12-1979 | PRI | |
| Juan Ruiz Guerrero | 1980–1982 | PRI | |
| Petronilo Ibarra | 1982 | PRI | Acting municipal president |
| J. Natividad Barrera García | 1983 | PRI | |
| Juan García Lizaola | 1983–1985 | PRI | Acting municipal president |
| Ma. Guadalupe de León López | 1986–1988 | PRI | |
| Rito Moreno Hernández | 01-01-1989–1992 | PRI | |
| José Ortiz Borrayo | 1992–1995 | PRI | |
| Felipe de Jesús López García | 1995–1997 | PRI | |
| Miguel Ángel Carrasco | 01-01-1998–31-12-2000 | PVEM | |
| Martín Dávalos Gómez | 01-01-2001–2003 | PRI | |
| Remigio García Villegas | 01-01-2004–31-12-2006 | PRI | |
| Luis Carrillo Bueno | 01-01-2007–31-12-2009 | PRD PT | |
| Édgar Santiago Aviña Mejía | 01-01-2010–30-09-2012 | PAN | |
| Emeterio Corona Vázquez | 01-10-2012–30-09-2015 | PRI PVEM | Coalition "Compromise for Jalisco" |
| Gerardo Uvaldo Ochoa Alvarado | 01-10-2015–30-09-2018 | MC | |
| Gerardo Uvaldo Ochoa Alvarado | 01-10-2018–30-09-2021 | MC | Was reelected on 01-07-2018 |
| Jaime Enrique Velasco López | 01-10-2021– | MC | |

## Culture

| Our Lady of Guadalupe | Juan Diego |
Much of the architecture in the municipality is stone work dating back to the 1850s. The town contains the "Benito Juárez" arts and crafts museum. A religious festival is celebrated on July 26 n honor of St. Anne, the patron saint of the city. It is customary on December 11 each year to also light bonfires at night along the streets, to commemorate the vision of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego.
Local cuisine includes the Birria goat, Carnitas beef, pork and beans and sweets known as Encalada flour fritters and ponteduro. Guarapo, a fruit cane juice and fruit punch are common beverages.

## Notable landmarks

Architecture
* Parroquia de Santa Ana
* Museo de Artes y Oficios
* Chorros de Santa Ana
* Mesón de la Providencia
* Museo Benito Juárez
* Panteón Municipal
Parks and reserves
* Cerro de la Coronilla
* Mirador de Santa Cruz
* Cerro de la Lima
* Paseo del Río
* Presa del Hurtado

## Notable people

* Ismael Baeza – writer
* Joaquín Baeza Agraz – physician
* Miguel Baeza Agraz – writer
* Nayar Carrillo – writer
* Isidoro Díaz – international footballer
* Jesús Huerta Leal – politician
* Carlos Augusto Ortiz – athlete
* Bruno Romero – philanthropist
* Basilio Rueda Guzmán
* Francisco Melitón Vargas – pastor