Cotija is a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
in the
Mexican state of
Michoacán. The municipality has an area of 504.05 km
2 (0.91% of the surface of the state), and is bordered to the north by
Jiquilpan and
Villamar, to the east by
Tocumbo, and to south by the state of
Jalisco
Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...
. The municipality had a population of 18,207 inhabitants according to the 2005 census. Its municipal seat is the city of Cotija de la Paz (pop. 12,453).
Cotija is the birthplace of several religious figures, including Saint
Rafael Guízar Valencia and Father
Marcial Maciel. The economy of the municipality is mostly based on agriculture and ranching.
Cotija cheese is named after the city.
The municipal president of Cotija and its many outlying communities was José Mendoza Morfín in 2008.
History
Versions differ regarding the founding date of Cotija. The Reverend Jose Romero places the founding between 1575 and 1576, in a site called Cotixa, which was situated near the Rio Claro (Clear River), Mr. Melchor Manzo de Corona built what became the first Spanish settlement in the region.
From 1581 to 1595, 11 other Spanish colonists joined Corona in Cotixa. Some built their houses, and they attempted to make a living by raising cattle. Other Spanish families arrived. At the time, this Spanish settlement was known as the Rincon de Cotixa (Cotixa Nook) and Mr. Melchor Manzo’s ''hacienda'' was considered the heart of the settlement. A primitive chapel was constructed in honor of Our Lady of the Pópolo, where a flea market (''tianguis'') was held on Sundays.
By 1730, the chapel of the Rincon de Cotixa had a standing priest, but baptisms, marriages, and burials were not allowed. Therefore, travelling to the town of Tingüindín for those religious affairs was necessary. This situation was not remedied until November 1740, when the Bishop of Michoacán, Fr. Marks Ramirez of the Prado, gave permission to the chapel of the Rincon de Cotixa to perform ecclesiastical burials.
Between August 2 and 5, 1759, Francisco Antonio de Echavarri decreed that the Rincon de Cotixa and the Llano of Titiacoro would be united and officially renamed as the Congregation of Cotija.
In 1790, Cotija was reclassified as a city by Michoacán governor, Aristeo Mercado.
In the late 2010s, cartel warfare began to increase around the region, eventually resulting in Cotija's local police being overthrown by a cartel. The cartel has remained in power over the town ever since, leading to an increase in the occurrence of murders.
*
Marcial Maciel Degollado, founder of the global Catholic order
Legion of Christ
*
Joseph A. Lopez, chaplain to
Agustín de Iturbide and president of
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...
*
Rafael Guízar Valencia, Bishop and Saint (1877–1938)
*
Felipe Arriaga, Mexican Singer
*
Yolanda Sánchez, Mayor of Cotija (Assassinated)
See also
*
Municipalities of Mexico
Municipalities () are the administrative divisions under the List of states of Mexico, states of Mexico according to the Constitution of Mexico, constitution. Municipalities are considered as the second-level administrative divisions by the Feder ...
External links
Official Site of the City of Cotija (in Spanish)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cotija, Michoacan
Municipalities of Michoacán