Alpotzonga de Lira y Ortega

Alpotzonga de Lira y Ortega is a locality in the municipality of Ixtacuixtla de Mariano Matamoros, at about 2,521 metres above sea level, well above the municipal seat, which sits at 2,220. The first name comes from Nahuatl: atl (water), potzonqui (to boil) and can (place), or "place where water is boiled". The second honours Miguel Lira y Ortega, born in Tlaxcala city in 1827 and governor of the state from 1867 to 1872 and again from 1877; he pushed primary-education boards and a municipal elections law.

The 2020 census counted 1,171 people. The historical series shows a village that grew slowly: 156 people in 1900, 468 in 1970, 678 in 1990 and 961 in 2010. In the municipal electoral listing published by INAFED, Alpotzonga chooses its authorities by usos y costumbres, like several neighbouring communities.

What stands out from the street is the church, with a blue front, two bell towers capped in red and a wide flight of steps in front. Along the dirt roads of this part of the municipality, which lead toward San Martín Texmelucan, INAFED places old haciendas now in ruins, such as Espíritu Santo, and the nearly collapsed chapel of the Tlapexco hacienda. The municipality as a whole lives from farming and crafts such as paper flowers, basketry and alebrijes.