Territorial reorganization in the Mezquital Valley, 1869–1874

Abstract

When Hidalgo became a state in 1869, some towns in Valle del Mezquital – most of which were located within this state – aspired to change their district jurisdiction or become municipalities. To do this, the towns of Valle adopted specific historical arguments and economic and government aspirations. I analyze, on one hand, the territorial restructuring in Valle and, on the other, the discourses and ideological references used by these populations. The yearnings for change analyzed here are understood within the liberal political model of the Restored Republic, which promoted policies to favor economic growth and well-being. Thus, the article explains how the towns of Valle del Mezquital were linked to the territory and its resources, the aspirations they had, and their relationships with political actors. I argue that the towns sought in this way the appropriate conditions to self-manage the exploitation of their resources and achieve the desired economic and social progress. I also claim that some of these towns aspired to municipal status in order to become legitimate representatives of all their rights and guarantors of their own resources.