Rojas de Cuauhtémoc

The place was first called Barrio del Rosario and later Rancho de Santa María Rojas before taking its present name. The surname Rojas honours Pedro Rojas, described as the first settler and of French descent; Cuauhtémoc was added in memory of the last Mexica emperor. Wikipedia's entry gives 3 October 1602 as the founding date and tells a local legend about Rojas and a Spanish family's daughter. Today it is the seat of a small municipality of about 24 km² in the Tlacolula district, with 1,301 residents in 2020, 19.1% more than in 2010.

The land lies in the Oaxaca valley at an average altitude of 1,570 m, with a semi-warm, semi-dry climate, summer rain and moderate winter frosts. The Río Salado crosses the municipality from east to west and carries far more water in the rainy season. Vegetation runs from thorny scrub with mesquite and huizache to oak forest on the higher slopes, and coyotes, deer, rabbits and foxes live there.

The economy rests on livestock and farming, with some shops, rental lodging and riding schools added in recent years. Tourism is modest: visitors from Canada and the United States come to ride horses, mountain-bike, or see lagoons, caves and rock formations. The best-known sight is the rocky peak of El Yarit. The main festivals are carnival in February or March, the Virgen de la Asunción on 15 August and the Virgen del Rosario on the first Sunday of October.