The territorial boundaries of the 212 municipalities of Veracruz, as we know them today, are the result of a series of changes over the years. Territorial disputes with other states have been part of the state’s history, such as the case of two municipalities that were part of Puebla and are currently part of Veracruz.
Historical context of the municipal dispute between Veracruz and Puebla
Few remains of the old maps from 1821 and the few years after, when Mexico first achieved its independence as a country. According to Mapoteca_mx, a company dedicated to the dissemination of national historical maps, in 1824 the state of Puebla stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean.
This initial division led to territorial conflicts, including with Veracruz, as Puebla “split” the state of Veracruz in two.
“It seems that, intermittently, during the first 30 years of its independence from Mexico, Puebla cut Veracruz in two. I say “intermittently” because there were times when it did and years when it didn’t. I suppose it had to do with the regime changes so common at the time,” says a Mapoteca_mx publication.
Puebla then stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, with access to both coasts through territories that today belong to Veracruz and Guerrero.
“Although Puebla extended across both oceans for at least 25 years, maps that show this are scarce. In contrast, there are many maps from the first half of the 19th century showing Puebla and the State of Mexico extending to the Pacific in the absence of Guerrero. Few show Puebla without access to the Pacific but with a coastline on the Gulf of Mexico. But only one in both oceans,” says Mapoteca_mx.
The Veracruz Municipalities That Were Part of Puebla
Tuxpan and Chicontepec were the municipalities that formerly belonged to Puebla, giving it access to the Gulf of Mexico. Due to the existing commercial interest, in 1849, three municipalities were granted to Veracruz in exchange for keeping Tuxpan as Puebla’s territory.
Years later, Veracruz legislators in the Constituent Congress, including José María Mata, sought to ensure that Veracruz maintained territorial continuity, without Puebla in the middle. It was then, in 1858, after the territories of Tuxpan and Chicontepec were returned to Veracruz, that Puebla would retain the three municipalities it had ceded in exchange: Teziutlán, Zacapoaxtla, and Tehuacán.
Controversy over the Origin of Teziutlán
The controversy over the loss of the Veracruz municipalities raises questions about the origins of each one. In the case of Teziutlán, according to Teziutlán Desconocido, it was originally part of Veracruz since its founding in 1552.
“Since its founding in 1552, it belonged to Veracruz lands. At first, it was only a stopping place for travelers and muleteers transporting their goods from the coast to the state capital. It wasn’t until 1847 that it was elevated to the rank of city and adopted the name Teziutlán de Mejía,” the publication states.
Source: lasillarota
