Cuautla (, meaning "where the eagles roam"), officially Heroica e Histórica Ciudad de Cuautla de Morelos (Heroic and Historic City of Cuautla of Morelos) or H. H. Cuautla, Morelos, is a city and municipality in the Mexican state of Morelos, about 104 kilometers south of Mexico City. In the 2010 census the city population was 154,358. The municipality covers . Cuautla is the third most populous city in the state, after Cuernavaca and Jiutepec. The city was founded on April 4, 1829. The 2020 population figures were 187,118 inhabitants for the municipality and 157,336 inhabitants for the city of Cuatula.
The Cuautla Metropolitan Area, the second largest in Morelos, comprises the municipalities of Cuautla, Yautepec, Ayala, Yecapixtla, Atlatlahucan, and Tlayacapan. It covers , which represents 21.26% of the state's total area. The metropolitan population (2010) is 434,187.CEOSPO Morelos, Retrieved Dec 18, 2018
History Prehispanic history The Olmec group who lived in Chalcatzingo (southeast of Cuautla) founded settlements in Cuautla, Tepalcingo, Jonacatepec (Las Pilas), Olintepec, Atlihuayan, Huaxtepec, Gualupita de Cuernavaca, Tlayacapan, etc. (Piña Chan y Plancarte).
Five years after the conquest of Cuahunahuác (Cuernavaca) in (1379 CE), Moctezuma Ilhuicamina conquered Huaxtepec (Oaxtepec), Yautepec, Tlayacapan and other towns of Morelos and Guerrero. With Huaxtepec, which was the prehispanic and colonial capital of the peoples of the Plan de Amilpas, its 25-human settlements including Cuauhtlán, had to pay a tribute of 400 cotton blankets, 400 two-color valances, 400 bedspreads, 800 thin cotton blankets, 400 pairs of shorts (patees), 200 women's shirts, and 1,200 veils (mantillas) every 80 days. In addition, they were required to contribute labor.
Spanish conquest and colonial period The Plan de Amilpas including Cuautla was conquered by Captain Gonzalo de Sandoval on March 14, 1521. In 1543 New Spain was organized into four provinces: Michoacán, México, Coatzacoalcos, and Las Mixtecas; the present territory of Morelos was part of the Mexico province.
The church and monastery of San Diego were built between 1560 and 1580. The church is relatively small and austere, although there is a beautiful cupola on the south side. The façade of the church is made of pink granite with well-defined bases, columns, and cornices. The small, two-level belltower is square and simple. The monetary is high and formal; it may have been built after the church. The church is unique in that it faces the east, there is no real atrium, and there are neither capillas posas nor an open chapel. Construction of the church of Santo Domingo also began in the middle of the 16th century, but there is little information on it.
After the conquest, Indigenous lands were confiscated, mostly for sugar cane plantations and mills (trapiches). Despite Indigenous protests, Viceroy Gaspar de Zúñiga ruled in favor of the colonists on July 5, 1603. In 1646 the province of México became the Real Audiencia; Cuautla became an alcaldia (mayoralty) belonging to the Intendencia of Puebla.
Independence & 19th century After a number of successful battles, General José María Morelos arrived in Cuautla in December 1811. On February 19, 1812, Spanish General Félix María Calleja began the 72-day Siege of Cuautla. Morelos was accompanied by Leonardo Bravo, Mariano Matamoros, Hermenegildo Galeana, Nicolás Bravo, and Manuel de Ordiera. 12-year-old Narciso Mendoza, known as the Niño Artillero (Child Gunner) is remembered for stopping an advance of royalist troops by setting off a cannon. Morelos and his army were able to break out on May 2, 1812.
Cuautla was designated a Heroic City (Heroica Ciudad de Morelos) on April 4, 1829, while Felipe B. Montero was Presidente Municipal (mayor).
An 1865 photograph shows the construction of the second floor of the Palacio Municipal (city hall) in 1865. The building was burned during the Revolution.
The railroad station was opened on June 18, 1881, next to the Convento de San Diego. Tourist trains continue to operate along the line.
Revolution & 20th century As a young man, Emiliano Zapata was concerned about land seizures in Anenecuilco, his hometown. In May 1911 he answered Francisco I. Madero's call to arms against President Porfirio Díaz. After minor battles in Chietla, Izúcar, Metepec Atlixco, Yautepec, and Jonacatepec, he arrived at Cuautla on May 11, 1911. With 4,000 or 5,000 troops he surrounded the city, and the week-long Battle of Cuautla (1911) began. The battle was a major turning point in the Mexican Revolution, as Porfirio Díaz said the battle convinced him to sign the Treaty of Ciudad Juárez and resign.
Nearly seven years later, in April 1919, Colonel Jesus Guajardo assassinated Zapata, apparently under orders of President Venustiano Carranza in Hacienda Chinameca, Ayala. His body was placed on a mule and left on the street before he was brought to Cuautla for burial.
The city hall was burned during the Battle of Cuautla in 1911; the bell Nuestra Señora de Dolores was transferred from the Church of Guadalupita on February 19, 2017 when the city hall was restored.
21st century Six people, including an 11-year-old child, were killed in the September 17, 2017 Puebla earthquake.
Jesus Corona Damian of the coalition called Juntos Haremos Historia (Together we will make history) was elected Presidente Municipal (mayor) in the election of July 1, 2018.
Tetelcingo was scheduled to become an autonomous municipality on January 1, 2019,https://www.diariodemorelos.com/noticias/habr%C3%A1-partir-de-2019-4-municipios-ind%C3%ADgenas-en-morelos (Dec 20, 2018) but Cuautla authorities objected.
As of May 4, 2020, there were 505 infections and 59 deaths in the state of Morelos and 62 confirmed infections from the COVID-19 pandemic in Cuautla. Schools and many businesses were closed from mid March until June 1. On June 2, Cuautla reported 224 confirmed cases and 34 deaths from the virus; the reopening of the state was pushed back until at least June 13. Cuautla reported an increase of 137 new cases from January 12 to 14, 2021, making 1,602 cases in all, second highest in the state. On March 8 Cuautla became the third municipality in Morelos to vaccinate senior citizens (60+).
Irving Eduardo Solano Vera ("El Profe"), said to be the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was arrested in Colonia Santa Rosa on February 18, 2021.
Notable people Siege of Cuautla Leonardo Bravo (1764-1812) was in charge of the 2nd sector (Santiago) of the city. Bravo broke out of the city on March 10, 1812, but was later captured and executed. His brothers Miguel and Victor, and his son, Nicolas also fought. Nicolás Bravo (1776–1854), president of Mexico three times between 1839 and 1846. Félix María Calleja del Rey y de la Gándara (1753-1828): Royalist general during the siege. Hermenegildo Galeana (1762-1814): Galeana was in charge of the 1st sector (San Diego) of the city during the siege. Mariano Matamoros y Guridi (1770-1814) was in charge of the 3rd sector (Buenavista). Narciso Mendoza (1800-1888): Born in Cuautla, Mendoza belonged to the children's company Compañía de Emulantes (Company of Emulators) organized by Juan Nepomuceno Almonte. Mendoza stopped a royalist offensive by firing a cannon and is known as El Niño Artillero (The Gunner Boy). José María Teclo Morelos Pérez y Pavón (1765-1815): Hero of the Siege of Cuautla (February 19 – May 2, 1812); the state is named for him. Other José Agustín (b. 1944) is a Mexican writer who lives in Cuautla. Ismael Hernández (b. 1990 in Cuautla) is a Mexican modern pentathlete. He won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Felipe B. Montero, president when Cuautla was granted the title ″Heroic City″ in 1829 and chronicler of the siege Jair Pereira Rodríguez (b. 1986 in Cuautla) is a Mexican football defender who plays for Liga MX C.D. Guadalajara.
Municipal presidents
Teofanes Jiménez, 1911–1912; Cuautla celebrated the 100th anniversary of the siege. Cruz Vázquez, 1913-1913 Teofanes Jiménez, 1913 Sixto Ceballos, 1913 Angel Díaz, 1913 Sixto Ceballos, 1913-1914 Everardo Espinosa, 1914-1915 Julián Sosa, 1915 Everardo Espinosa, 1915 Pascual Carrillo, 1915 Jesús Hernández, 1915 Nicolás Morales, 1915 Carlos Escobar, 1915-1916 Agustín Palacios, 1916 Agustín Amado Espindola, 1916 Francisco J. Reygados, 1916 Francisco Tenorio, 1916 Salvador Romero, 1917 Nestor Mendoza, 1917 Julián Sosa, 1917-1918 Lanciano Tamayo, 1918 Felipe León, 1918 Longino Tamayo, 1918 Jesús Franco, 1918 Felipe J. León, 1918–1919; Zapata's corpse publicly displayed Pedro Nervaez, 1919-1922 Joaquín Alanis, 1922 Antonio Pliego, 1923-1924 Felipe Amaro, 1924 Pedro Nervaez, 1924-1925 Pedro Albear, 1925 Nemecio Torres, 1925 Antonio Pliego, 1925-1926 Manuel Abundez, 1926-1927 Manuel Contreras, 1927 Felipe Contreras, 1927-1928 Antonio Pliego Quintero, 1928 J. Refugio Bustamante, 1929 Abelardo Flores, 1930 Antonio Pliego Quintero, 1931-1932 Francisco Hernández, 1932 Manuel Abundez, 1933-1934 Gil R. Montero, 1934 J. Isabel Bustamante, 1935-1936 Nicolás Zapata, 1937 Antonio Pliego Quintero, 1938 Alejandro Perdomo, 1939-1940 Eulalio B. Morales, 1940 Alejandro Perdomo, 1940 Benjamin C. López, 1941-1942 Mauro Belaunzarán Tapia, 1942-1944 Torcuato B. Gutiérrez C., 1945 Higinio Peña, 1945-1946 Fausto González Hernández, 1947–1948; Casa de Morelos museum opens Othón Menchaca, 1949-1950 Antonio Pliego Noyola, 1950 Manuel Llera Plascencia, 1951–1952; Narciso Mendoza Theater opens Amado Torres Guerrero, 1953-1954 Leobardo Alanís, 1954 J. Guadalupe Reynoso, 1955–1957; foundation of "Regional Fine Arts Institute" Antonio Nava Zavala, 1958-1960 Fernando Estrada Sánchez, 1961-1963 Rodolfo Abúndez Fandiño, 1964-1967 Antonio Pliego Noyola, 1968–1971; "Fine Arts Institute" moved to ex-convent Santo Domingo Angel Torres Escalante, 1971–1973; narrow-gauge Nacionales de Mexico ends service on October 11, 1973 Ignacio Guerra Tejeda, 1973-1976 Raymundo Llera Peña, 1976–1979; historical bell Nuestra Señora de Dolores transferred to city hall Rodolfo Abundez Fandiño, 1979 Alfonso Cerqueda Martínez, 1981-1985 Luis Miguel Andreu Acosta, 1985 Martín Garduño Amaga, 1985-1987 Martín Crisóforo Martínez Nájera, 1987-1988 José Guadalupe Vique Marín, 1988 Adolfo Avila Piñarrieta, 1988-1991 Javier Malpica Marines, 1991–1993; creation of Ecological Protection Zone Los Sabinos, Santa Rosa y San Cristóbal Tadeo Espinosa Díaz, 1993-1997 (PRI); environmental education begins in schools Francisco Rodríguez Montero, 1997-2000 (PRD) Neftalí Tajonar Zalazar, 2000-2003 (PRI) Arturo Damian Cruz Mendoza, 2003-2006 (PRD) Sergio Rodrigo Valdespin Pérez, 2006-2009 (PAN) Luis Felipe Xavier Guemes Ríos, 2009-2012 (PRI); Cuautla receives recognition as ″Historical capital of Morelos″ Jesús González Otero, 2013-2015 (PRD-PT-MC) Raul Tadeo Nava, 2016-2018 (PAN) Jesús Corona Damián, 2019–present (Together we will make history)
Culture Celebrations and holidays January 1: New Year's Day (official holiday) January 6: Día de Reyes February 5: Día de la Constitución (Monday before the 5th; official holiday) February 19: Anniversary of the start of 1812 Siege of Cuautla March 8: Día Internacional de la Mujer March 21: Anniversary of the birth of Benito Juarez (Monday before the 21st; official holiday) Fair of the second Friday of Lent, considered the second in importance of the state (variable date). Holy Week (Semana Santa, variable dates) April 10: commemoration of the death of Emiliano Zapata (state holiday) April 30: Children's Day May 1: Labor Day (official holiday) May 2: Anniversary of the end of 1812 Siege of Cuautla May 5: Cinco de Mayo (national holiday) May 10: Mother's Day July 25: Feast of Santiago August 8: Anniversary of the birth of the General Emiliano Zapata Salazar and feast of St. Dominic de Guzmán September 16: Mexican Independence Day Cry of Dolores (official holiday)