Minatitlán (Veracruz)

Minatitlán is a city in the south of the Mexican state of Veracruz, and the head of the municipality of the same name. It was a high port on the banks of the Coatzacoalcos River; In 1956, the largest Pemex refinery Refinería Gral. Lázaro Cárdenas del Río was established, the first and largest in Latin America until 2004.

It is the sixth most important city in the state, and one of the 80 in the country; belonging to rank 4 of 8 of the large functional regions by population, economic and industrial activity; with HDI of 0.839 in position 16 in the state,

The city is located north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and in the Olmec region of the state of Veracruz,

Toponymy and origin of the name

It has been proposed that the name Minatitlán comes from the Nahuatl Mina: Shooting arrows at someone and the suffix -titlán: Place, so Minatitlán would mean & #34;Place where arrows are shot" or "Land of arrows", version reflected in the center of the municipality's shield, where an arrows is represented.

However, this version does not have historical support, for example in 1580 in one of the first detailed descriptions of the region, the town that is settled in what is now the city of Minatitlán was known as Tacoteno: On the shore of the rods, without any existing town called Minatitlán. By 1659 this region was most likely already depopulated due to constant attacks by English corsairs and pirates.

Already in 1804, Alexander von Humboldt, passing through the Veracruz coast (on his way from the Port of Veracruz to Cuba), recounts the extensive trade that existed in the Factory Passage or simply La Fábrica (today Minatitlán), recounting that "from Paso de La Fábrica the Tehuantepec jerky, Guatemalan indigo and cochineal were brought to Veracruz and Havana from Oaxaca".

On October 8, 1825, President Guadalupe Victoria issued a decree for the construction of a customs port in the most favorable place in the Coatzacoalcos area, with La Fábrica being the most appropriate place for this. In the same way, the state government requested Tadeo Ortiz de Ayala (Creole, insurgent, diplomat and enthusiastic interpreter and connoisseur of the problems of the newly independent country) on July 29, 1826 to found a town in the place previously called The Villa of the Holy Spirit (today Coatzacoalcos).

Thus, on November 26 and December 26, 1826, Tadeo Ortiz reported to the state government the founding of the following towns: Barragan-polis (founded in La Villa del Espiritu Santo ), Hidalgo-polis (founded in Remolino de los Almagres), Allende-polis (founded in Quapinoloya ), Morelos-polis (founded in Paso de Saravia), Abasolo-polis (founded in Chalchicapa) and Mina-polis (founded in Paso de la Fábrica), dedicated in honor of various heroes of Mexican independence: Miguel Barragán (at that time governor of the state of Veracruz), Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende, José María Morelos, Mariano Abasolo and Francisco Xavier Mina respectively.

However, the state government orders that the endings Polis (of Greek origin and used to name a city), be changed to -titlán a Nahuatl suffix that It serves to name a place, and also to restore Barragan-polis its old indigenous name, which is why the towns of: Coatzacoalcos, were finally founded. Hidalgotitlán, Allendetitlán, Morelostitlán, Abasolotitlán and Minatitán.

This is how the name Minatitlán arose, being a Spanish hydroidism that means Place dedicated to (Francisco Javier) Mina.

History

Chronology of events

• In 1826, Tadeo Ortiz Ayala, for the government of the state, founded the people of Minatitlán, with a fraction of land that Francisco de Lara and Vargas, a neighbor of Chinameca, gave.

• In the year 1828, the population is large and the cutting of wood begins, resulting from it many commercial houses are established and the population increase in the margin of the Coatzacoalcos river; whatever the settlement of the Former Minatitlán.

• On May 28, 1853, the President of the Republic declared to the people of Minatitlán Villa and head of the territory of Tehuantepec.

• On October 18, 1863, the local patriots join the neighbors of Chinameca, Cosoleacaque and Acayucan, joining the republican forces, fighting a bloody battle against the French invaders in the Battle of Totoapan, glorious date on which one of the best and most disciplined armies of the world were expelled from the population.

• In 1902, the company Pearson & Son LTD, initiates oil explorations in the congregation of Emilio Carranza, belonging to Minatitlán.

• In 1905, Pearson & Son LTD acquires the lands of Ribera Colorada and La Carbonera, belonging to this municipality to install the first pilot refinery.

• In 1909, Pearson & Son LTD sells the refinery to theCia. Mexicana de Petróleo El Águila».

• By May 8, 1910, the cargo and passenger service of Minatitlán al Carmen is established, disappearing the arrival as a communication of cargo with the inner populations.

• On the occasion of the Centennial of Independence, the canton authorities built the Hidalgo Market and Independence Parkon September 5, 1910, being governor of the state Teodoro A. Dehesa, Mariano Caraza, deputy president and Eduardo R. Colonel deputy secretary, sign this decree; “Art 1o.- On the occasion of the first centenary of the proclamation of the National Independence, since the 15th of this month, it will be elevated to the City of the Villa de Minatitlán, head of the canton of its name”; "Minatitlán is City" and the decree is read in the morning of September 15 of that year; to commemorate it, the workers of the Refinery give the city the statue of the father of the homeland Don Miguel Hidalgo and Costilla.

• On 4 April 1917, the Cia. Mexicana de Petróleo El Águila, signs the delivery of light from the streets Hidalgo and Juarez, the Parque Independencia, Cerro del Cuartel, Military Command and the Market of this City being Municipal President, R. Vidal Delgado; formerly the lighting of the city was made using the oil that was changed daily.

• In 1921, an airplane appears for the first time in the skies of Minatitlán, by Pablo Sidar Escobar.

• On June 18, 1925, Minatitlán adds Congregations of The Pump and Mapchapasign the Decree No. 148 state governor, Gral. Heriberto Jara and the general secretary of government G. Vázquez Vela, published in the Official Gazette of the State No. 75 on June 23 of the same year, the problem between the municipalities of Minatitlán and Cosoleacaque since.

• By the year of 1935, Minatitlán already has a population of 25,000 inhabitants, with a lively trade except for a few malfinished sidewalks on the three main streets and a stretch paved on Hidalgo Street; the streets were not paved yet during the rainy season.

• To give him the impulse Minatitlán needed and consider it among the Top citieson August 1, 1934, the hydroelectric plant began its work to provide electricity to the population. A prosperous City had to have one to make its history and write it as it has seen it yesterday and today in its progress; on 9 August of the current year, a man of great vision Manuel Rodríguez Olán in union with others journalists local, founded the diary "The Opinion", for days after taking over the direction of this informative body that has since been well received by the population; this year the Red Cross is founded.

• By not accepting the company, the ruling of the Federal Conciliation Board and having rebellion on the part of it against a supreme mandate, the government declares the "Expropriation of the Industry" that becomes Mexican Petroleos; at 23:00 hours on March 18, 1938, the alarm of the refinery is heard long by celebrating the decree of expropriation of the oil industry, which has become transcendent in the city.

• In 1961, the municipality of Las Choapas was created, subtracting 2,850 km.2 to the municipality of Minatitlán.

• The decree of 8 October 1963 established the limits between the municipalities of Hidalgotitlán and Minatitlán.

• In 1986, the new building of the municipal palace was opened.

• In January 2001, Dr. Delfino Álvarez Blancadiscover the archaeological zone "The Lomas", municipality of Minatitlán; «The Serpent City-Jaguar, Quetzalcoalpan».

Floods

In September 2008, the municipality faced major flooding that had not occurred since the late 1970s. Hundreds of people were evacuated by units of the Mexican Army and Federal Police, because 51% of the municipal seat was flooded by the overflowing of the Coatzacoalcos River; Civil Protection and Firefighters personnel attended to more than 10 thousand victims.

In October 2010, Minatitlán suffered the worst flood in its history; the Coatzacoalcos, Chiquito and Uxpanapa rivers, the product of intense Rains caused by Hurricane Matthewes and stormwater runoff from Oaxaca and Chiapas, left their channels, turning 150 communities belonging to this municipality into zones of total destruction, and leaving 120 towns incommunicado; the streets of the downtown area and 50 blocks in the municipal seat, became rivers 2.3 and 3 meters deep; the Minatitlán-Coatzacoalcos circulation was temporarily closed, due to The water from lagoons and swamps exceeded the asphalt surface of the highway that connects these municipalities; personnel from SEDENA, Public Security, Civil Protection, Firefighters and hundreds of Volunteers evacuated thousands of people who were in the disaster zone, others refused to vacate their homes for fear of losing more than they had already lost.

The port of Minatitlán

From 1731 to 1735, Minatitlán had numerous sawmills and was known as "Paso de la Fábrica", the name by which Minatitlán was known, being in this place where they built their Shipyard and the The first ship was called “New Spain”, in 1804 it was dismantled; Tacoteno already existed, a place where Hernán Cortes passed through on his trip to the Hibueras; For phonetic reasons he called it Tlacotenco .

In 1829, Minatitlán specialized in the sale of livestock and wood as its main products; On January 24, 1830, the French ship “La Joven América” arrived at Barra with 103 passengers and was shipwrecked at the mouth of the Coatzacoalcos River, on April 16, 1830. same year, the ship “Hercules” arrives with 142 passengers and on July 25, “El Diana” arrives with 83 more passengers, these being the same French colonists to whom it is owed. the surnames of distinguished families living in the region.

In 1825 Minatitlán was named "Head of the Coatzacoalcos Colony", this same year President Guadalupe Victoria ordered a "Customs House" to be installed in the Coatzacoalcos bar, Minatitlán being elected, becoming High Port.

In 1837 Minatitlán was reduced to Cabotage Port; In 1846, Minatitlán was once again elevated to the status of High Port, until the war with the United States ended.

Memories of a song

"Minatitlán, in the glory of Veracruz's history; piece of heaven is this soil where I was born, Minatitlán, in the glory of Veracruz's history; piece of heaven are you, blessed spiritual soil, blessed earth where I was born; Minatitlán...".

"Fragment of the public domain song, "Minatitlán"".

Population

The total population of the city is 101,336 inhabitants with a population of 47,297 men and 54,039 women according to the 2020 Population and Housing Census.

Metropolitan area

The municipalities of Cosoleacaque, Jáltipan, Chinameca, Oteapan, Zaragoza, and all their localities, together with Minatitlán as the central municipality, make up the Metropolitan Zone of Minatitlán, with 359,228 inhabitants in 2020. The «Metropolitan Zone of Minatitlán» occupies 48 place in the country and number 5 in the state.

Population decline

Minatitlán, experienced abundance during the oil boom in the eighties, and benefited from the great Economic Activity developed in the south of the state for almost two decades; However, the Economic Crisis is reflected in the decrease in the municipality's population, from 195,523 in 1990 to 151,983 inhabitants in 2005.

Ethnic groups

• Chinese
• popoluca
• Zapotec.

Geography

Climate

The city's climate is warm humid, with an average annual temperature of 25.6 °C; with abundant rains in summer and early autumn; In the months of May and June, the highest temperatures are recorded, from 42 to 44 °C; in winter, mainly in the months of January and February, the lowest temperatures do not exceed 14 °C. The municipality has various climatic subtypes, determined by the environmental variation that the mountains determine by producing a pluviometric shadow effect towards the western plains, the eastern slopes. /i> they trap the humidity coming from the Gulf of Mexico, so there is rainfall of 3,000 to 4,000 mm annually. Municipality with an abundant network of river currents, highlighting the Coatzacoalcos, Uxpanapa and Coachapa rivers, streams, lagoons and swamps tributaries of the Coatzacoalcos River. Every year, the abundant rains in the region cause overflow and affect a large part of the municipal territory, especially the population settled on the banks of flows in communities in its extensive rural area.

Average climate parameters of Minatitlán
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	41.5	43.5	42.0	43.0	43.0	43.5	40.0	40.0	42.5	43.0	39.0	39.0	43.5
Average temperature (°C)	26.4	27.6	30.5	32.8	34.5	33.2	32.1	32.2	31.8	30.4	29.0	26.8	30.6
Average temperature (°C)	21.9	22.7	24.9	27.1	28.5	27.9	27.2	27.3	27.0	25.8	24.4	22.4	25.6
Temp. medium (°C)	17.3	17.8	19.3	21.3	22.6	22.5	22.3	22.4	22.2	21.2	19.8	18.1	20.6
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	2.0	8.5	2.0	15.0	12.0	15.0	12.0	13.0	15.5	15.0	2.0	4.0	2.0
Total precipitation (mm)	104.3	60.3	37.8	36.0	85.7	254.9	269.0	297.7	428.2	364.5	207.4	137.3	2283.1
Source: National Meteorological Service 1 July 2022

Economy

Based mainly on the Oil Industry; petrochemicals and refining: produces, stores, distributes and markets 10 products of which 8 are energy products and are used as fuel; Basic petrochemicals: raw material to make synthetic material.

Large plants producing industrial gas, chemical, medicinal and fertilizer products, bottling plants and regional distribution centers.

• Its trade is developed; in the city there are companies of commercial turn and service, generating a great source of employment.

• A "regional abatement center", important for its size and 6 popular markets.

• Its hotel infrastructure is «insufficient» for economic and intermediate segments of business travel; three major hotels executive category 4 stars and one category 3 stars.

Economic, political and social delay

The municipality predominated by the oil industry, is going through a notable "delay" that plunges it into a municipality with slow economic, political and social growth. In 2009, Minatitlán suffered the loss of 2 thousand jobs in the industrial area and the financial problems of businessmen increased; the 3-year delay [from 2008 to 2010] in the reconfiguration of the Minatitlán refinery, costing Mexican finances approximately 2 billion dollars i> and loss of jobs in the region, due to imports of unproduced fuels and cost overruns in work commissioned to six consortia that were unable to integrate the work. The lack of «Grand Vision Projects</b », prevents the municipality from developing and reactivating its economy on a par with Coatzacoalcos or Córdoba, in the same state; Light fixtures, avenues and sidewalks in poor condition, large amounts of garbage in the streets, family recreation parks, sports parks and neglected gardens are a visible part of a great delay in an extremely important population; Also notable is the decline in population and investments that fail to materialize.

In 2006, the Coatzacoalcos-Minatitlán area, Acayucan and Poza Rica de Hidalgo, were rated as the worst cities in Quality of Local Governments in the state, and one of the least competitive of 71 urban areas in the country. In 2008 and released in 2010, the current Level of Competitiveness for Minatitlán is Low Medium, the same as in 2006 without any relevance and from 86 cities studied by the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness, A.C. IMCO, throughout the national territory.

Competitiveness levels: Very low | Low | Medium low | Medium high | Adequate | high

Trade

Minatitlán 10-30 Project

As part of the development of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, businessmen from the southeast of Veracruz promote the creation of a sustainable industrial park that optimizes the use of water and electrical energy, in addition to maintaining low levels of pollution, establishing transformation companies, taking advantage of the agricultural vocation of the area and consortia that provide services to the petrochemical industry.

Possible construction of the industrial corridor in 72 hectares of the Minatitlán-Cosoleacaque metropolitan area; Minatitlán 10-30 Project, designed for 20 years and that can generate 20 to 25 thousand jobs, integrating it into the Transisthmian Corridor Coatzacoalcos-Salina Cruz project as part of the cluster and controlled precincts that are intended to be created throughout the strip; the creation of a large commercial complex and a high-level housing complex.

Port Reactivation

Minatitlán is a «cabotage river port», located 40 km upstream from the mouth of the Coatzacoalcos River, and is the first used by Pemex, for the departure of products already processed by the refinery.; The port has 310 m of marginal protection and 6,860 m² for carrying out port activities; The draft of the port of Minatitlán is around 14 navigable feet.

Currently, rehabilitation works are being carried out on the navigation channel to reactivate regional trade through the Coatzacoalcos River, in order to allow entry to large vessels that could transport Coke.

The «Port Captaincy in Minatitlán», is active.

Media

Airport

Minatitlán International Airport IATA code: MTT, ICAO code: MMMT operated by Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR), located 10 min. from the city in the town of "Canticas", municipality of Cosoleacaquewhich serves the entire south of the state; On August 15, 2006, President Vicente Fox Quesada signed the agreement declaring and enabling the "Minatitlán Airport" as an International Aerodrome.

Universities

• Minatitlán Technological Institute.
• Veracruzana University.
• University of the Gulf of Mexico (Campus Minatitlán)
• Universidad Oriente de México.
• Universidad Del Sureste Vasconcelos.
• Manuel C. Tello School.
• Universidad para el Bienestar Benito Juárez Headquarters Minatitlán.

Culture

• Music: It is typical of the municipality the sones jarochos, the danzón, the tenths as well as popular music.

• Crafts: Embroidered and dehydrated cotton clothing. Embroidered jarocha suits.

• Traditions: From February 28th to May 10th Carnival takes place, with ballroom and popular dances, indigenous and folk dances and pyrotechnic games.

Gastronomy

• Bollitos de Elote: [Elote leaves wrapped in corn leaves, served with cream and cheese; fries are also served].
• Chipile Tamals: [Masa, butter and chipile (sheets), wrapped in banana leaves].
• Chanchamitos: [Mass, butter, pork fillers; they are gorditos and wrapped in corn leaves, bathe with very spicy sauce and accompanied with rice with milk ].
• Shrimp and Seco Fish: [Place].
• Totopo: [Gold corn chip].
• Salado cheese.
• Chinameca meat: [Chinese meat (smoothed meat with encino wood)].
• Antojitos Veracruznos: [chuckles] Plátano male frito with cream and double cream cheese, plantain male filler of meat or double cheese cream with mayonnaise, picaditas (matter chips cooked, chopped or pinched on the shore) of mole, red or green sauce with fresh cheese, double cream cheese and/or cream, guanachas, beef empanadas, cheese or red fish and mesh.
• Pibil Cochinite Tacos: [Although it is a dish of Yucatan gastronomy, in Minatitlán are very popular].
• Marisco: [In the Veracruz style].
• Cooked Mass Tamals: [With epazote and pork or chicken fillers].

Festivals and traditions

• Festival de la Candelaria: 2 February.
• 5 February: Minatitlán's most popular market anniversary.
• Carnival: A week’s party; its celebration varies on the calendar, is the largest party in Minatitlán.
• 18 October: Party week in the Santa Clara Colony.
• Istmeña Tradition Festivals: Throughout the year, the Zapotec community (lover of Oaxaca but settled in the city) celebrates celebrations in honor of some Saint: Saint Vincent Ferrer, Saint Judas Tadeo, Virgin of Juquila, Saint Cecilia, Santa Rosa de Lima, Virgin of Guadalupe, Virgin of the Candelaria, Virgin of the Nativity, etc. for each of the celebrations there is a respective island society, being very famous for its .

Featured people

• Blanca Estela Pavón, Born in Minatitlán on February 21, 1926 - September 26, 1949. Actress, whose trajectory meant a place in Mexican cinematography.
• Meche Carreño: Born in Minatitlán on September 15, 1947. Actress, producer and filmmaker in the 1970s.
• Claudia Ramírez: Born in Minatitlán on July 30, 1964. Actress, The Fallen Angel (telenovela), Only with Your Couple, City of Blind, Mary Joseph (telenovela), S.O.S.: Sex and Other Secrets, Who Killed Sarah.
• José Alfredo Rangel Arroyo: Musician, Guitarist, member of the winning Mexican band of Grammy and Grammy Latino Café Tacvba.

Other information

• The Gral Refinery. Lazaro Cárdenas del Río in Minatitlán, is the first and largest refinery in Latin America until the year 2004, debancada por el Centro de Refinación de Paraguaná en Venezuela; la Gral refinery. Lazarus Cárdenas, is the largest and most important refinery in Mexico, where 190 000 barrels of crude oil are processed daily, and 30 000 barrels of liquids from Mezcla de Butanos; in 2009 the refinery produced a total of 2 million 628 thousand barrels Gas LPG, 20 million 294 thousand barrels of gasoline Pemex Magna, 13 million 811 thousand barrels of Pemex Dieseland 24 million 528 thousand barrels of combustoleum; 3 million 686 thousand barrels Natural gasoline to obtain 94 thousand 900 barrels of Isobutano were sent to the Salina Cruz refinery in the state of Oaxaca, for the production of gasoline Pemex Premium.

• In January 2001, the Archaeological Zone was discovered «Lomas de Tacojalpa» on the banks of the river Coatzacoalcos of the municipality of Minatitlán, where the culture of Olmeca is presumed to be born; the studies have been carried out by INAH, and they refer that the place dates from the year 1500 a.c. and until 1521 d. C., the existence of archaeological monuments of the site, are registered in the Public Register of Monuments since 15 December 2001, key E15-C15-30030. On March 21, the spring equinox was held [2010 “El Retorno de Quetzalcóatl”, becoming Lomas de Tacojalpa in the fourth archaeological site in Mexico, where this type of ceremony is performed].
• El 5 de septiembre de 2010, Se cumplieron 100 años de ser eleva la Villa de Minatitlán, a nivel de ciudad.
• In 2015 is founded the official folkloric ballet of the city, which is named Ballet Folkloric of Minatitlán.

Environmental problems

In the 1980s, the area Coatzacoalcos-Minatitlán was officially declared a «Critical Zone» in terms of ecological planning and environmental protection.

• Petroleum Industry: Environmental problems, contamination of the Coatzacoalcos River and its tributaries by large quantities of industrial waste, and poor air quality that is breathed.
• Rain: Storms, Hurricanes and floods.
• Heat: Fire in grasslands.
• Human: Public waste, domestic wastewater, waste in streams, rivers and lagoons [bottles, plastic bags, glass, metals, etc.].

Santa Alejandrina Swamp

The Santa Alejandrina swamp is affected by large residual loads and deforestation due to the modernization of the Gral. Lázaro Cárdenas Refinery. Pemex owns 107 hectares where new industrial plants are being built that will create jobs, but this aggravates the situation, since species of animals that inhabit it are severely affected by the large concentration of toxic waste that ends his life; The population repeatedly points to the parastatal as “Guilty” of destroying their lands.

In 2001, the Santa Alejandrina swamp was seriously affected by the hydrocarbon spill; considered the most polluted in Mexico.

The Santa Alejandrina reservoir or «Santa Alejandrina Swamp», as it is popularly known, is one of the widest and shallowest points of the Coatzacoalcos River; It is a deposit of fine sediments and is rich in clay. Located in the congregation of Santa Alejandrina, municipality of Minatitlán.

The environmental impact of the Santa Alejandrina swamp has been the subject of multiple studies.

Despite affecting the health of its inhabitants, the authorities and Social Groups have not done much to correct these problems.