Matehuala is a city in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosí, situated at an elevation of about 1,500 m. Matehuala is also the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name, located in the northern part of the state, on the border with the southwestern corner of Nuevo León. The municipality of Matehuala has a population of 102,199 and an area of .
History
Pre-Colonial Prior to the arrival of the Spanish, the Potosi Plateau region was inhabited by the indigenous Guachichiles, a group of Chichimeca peoples who occupied the southern and central portions of the Mexican Plateau. A nomadic people, they generally lived in small mobile villages and were primarily hunter-gatherers, making them experts of the local herbs and vegetation in the arid region.
The Guachichiles were known as fierce warriors.
Colonial Some sources claim that the name "Matehuala" was derived from a warning war cry of the Guachichiles that translates to "do not come [here]!"
In the early 16th century, Spanish expeditions sought metals and mining opportunities in the Altiplano region. Captain Gabriel Ortiz de Fuenmayor and a contingent of soldiers, adventurers, and missionaries entered from Zacatecas, founding San Francisco de Matehuala in 1550. The Chichimec War erupted in 1549, lasting 40 years, causing the abandonment of Matehuala. Viceroy Luis de Velasco organized expeditions between 1551 and 1553 to end the war, using allies to settle for peace and create settlements.
The conflict continued until 1568 when frontier presidios were established. King Philip II sought peace negotiations, leading to conferences attended by indigenous leaders. In 1638, Matehuala's possession changed hands due to language barriers. By the 17th century, mineral discoveries boosted Matehuala's economy.
In 1706, the town's second founding occurred after a commission verified land ownership. In 1786, New Spain was divided into intendancies, including San Luis Potosí. In 1799, a parish was established in Matehuala, although conflicts between Spaniards and indigenous people resurfaced due to fees for newcomers. The mining boom in Real de Catorce led to economic growth in Matehuala. Finally, in 1808, Matehuala was designated a villa, marking a significant historical event.
Government Municipal presidents Term Municipal presidentPolitical partyNotes1896 Mariano Vázquez López 1939–1940 Octaviano Briones CortezPRM 1940 Antonio Verástegui Cruz PRM 1940–1943 Nicolás López Loera PRM 1943–1945 Miguel Ángel Santos PRM 1945 Nicolás López Loera PRM 1945–1946 Horacio Medellín Cruz PRM 1946–1949 Roberto Alderete Aguilar PRI 1949–1952 Nicolás Sánchez Pérez PRI 1952–1955 Enrique de la Cruz Zepeda PRI 1955–1958 Santiago J. Vivanco Castillo PRI 1958–1961 Jesús Pérez Barba PRI 1961–1964 Antonio Nava Sánchez PRI 1964–1967 Adalberto Tamayo López PRI 1967–1970 Alfonso Dibildox Martínez PRI 1970–1973 Eduardo Rocha Pérez PRI 1973–1976 Tomás Zárate Sánchez PRI 1976–1979 José Mahbub Matta PRI 1979–1982 Antonio Ávila Lomas PRI 1982–1985 José Nava Sánchez PRI 1985–1988 Pascual Gallegos Montalvo PRI 1988–1991 Virgilio Castillo Andrade PRI 1991–1994 Paulino Martínez Carmona PRI 1994–1997 Justo Fernando Torres Rangel PAN 1997–2000 Raymundo García Olivares PRI 2000–2003 Gregorio Antonino Maldonado Vázquez PAN 2003–2006 José Everardo Nava Gómez PRI PVEM 2006–2009 Víctor Manuel Mendoza Ramírez PAN 2009–2012 Francisco Javier Hernández Loera PAN Panal 2012 Édgar Morales Pérez PRI PVEM Municipal president-elect. Never in office. Was assassinated on 12 August 20122012–2015 Héctor Fermín Ávila Lucero PRI PVEM Substitute. He was appointed municipal president by the City Council of Matehuala2015–2018 José Everardo Nava Gómez PRI PVEM Panal 2018–2021 Roberto Alejandro Segovia Hernández PVEM Panal 2021–11-11-2023 Iván Noé Estrada Guzmán PAN PRI PRD PCP He was arrested on 11 November 2023 for abusive exercise of power and alleged links with drug barons21-11-2023–2024 Franco Coronado Guerra PAN PRI PRD PCP Acting municipal president01-10-2024– Raúl Ortega Rodríguez PAN PRI PRD
Notable people Juan José Ortega, film director and producer (1904–1996) Octavio Medellín, artist and sculptor (1907–1999)
Notable buildings The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Matehuala has the same architectural style as the Church of Saint Joseph des Brotteaux, in Lyon, France. Its construction started in 1898 and was never finished. Iglesia Santísima de Guadalupe
References
External links
Gobierno Municipal de Matehuala Official website www.portalmatehuala.com www.matehuala.com.mx Pagina Oficial de la Delegación D-II-86 Matehuala Link to tables of population data from Census of 2005 INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática San Luis Potosí Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México