Commemorating the Birth of Jalisco as a Free and Sovereign State
Two hundred years ago, on June 16, 1823, Jalisco was born as a free and sovereign state. But in reality, it all began on June 12, 1821, when Pedro Celestino Negrete convinced the military leaders of Guadalajara to join the Mexican Independence Plan. Although the country had already achieved independence from the Spanish crown, some influential individuals within the government who benefited from human slavery opposed the idea. In early 1823, Luis Quintanar declared his support for the independence of the free and sovereign state of Jalisco, to be achieved through the Casa Mata Plan. In May 1823, the first-ever popular consultation in Mexican history took place to determine whether the state of Jalisco would adopt Centralism or Federalism as its form of government.
Prisciliano Sánchez tirelessly advocated for federalism and the establishment of the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco in all towns. Finally, on June 16, 1823, the efforts of the young politician bore fruit when the Provincial Deputation Assembly of Guadalajara declared the creation of the Free and Sovereign State of Xalisco, spelled with an "X" to emphasize its pre-Hispanic origin. The word "Xalisco" is derived from the Nahuatl language and consists of three concepts: Xali (Sand), Ixtli (Surface), and Co (Place), meaning "Sandy Place." There is no specific account of who was responsible for replacing the "X" with a "J," but over time, the criollos who governed the early stages of the newborn Free and Sovereign State gradually made the change, resulting in the current name of the state, Jalisco.
To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, the government of Puerto Vallarta organized an afternoon of concerts and activities on June 16. The festivities kicked off with performances by ranchera music singers on the iconic stage of Puerto Vallarta's Malecón, framed by the traditional Arcos del Malecón.
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