Mexico proposes renaming mountain pass to honor Indigenous peoples

09:16

By: Sahili Aya

Mexico proposes renaming mountain pass to honor Indigenous peoples

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has proposed renaming a historic mountain pass associated with Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, in a move aimed at honoring the Indigenous peoples who inhabited the region long before the arrival of the Spanish.

The site, currently known as Paso de Cortés, lies in central Mexico between the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes. Sheinbaum said it should instead be called “Paso de los Pueblos Indígenas”, or “Pass of the Indigenous Peoples.”

The name Paso de Cortés refers to the route taken by the Spanish conquistador in the 16th century as he advanced toward Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec Empire, before the city was conquered.

A symbolic change of name

Speaking at an event held at the mountain pass on Sunday, Sheinbaum argued that the area had a history that long predated Cortés' arrival.

“Peoples passed through here long before him,” the Mexican president said, calling for the location to be renamed in recognition of Indigenous communities.

The proposal reflects Sheinbaum's broader efforts to place Mexico's Indigenous heritage at the center of the country's historical narrative. Her administration has continued an approach also pursued by her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who frequently emphasized the legacy of pre-Hispanic civilizations.

A broader debate over the legacy of the conquest

The proposed renaming is part of a wider debate in Mexico over how places, monuments and historical references connected to the Spanish conquest should be remembered.

When Sheinbaum was mayor of Mexico City, she supported changing the name of a historic cypress traditionally known as the “Tree of the Sad Night,” associated with a legend in which Cortés mourned a defeat. The site was subsequently renamed the “Tree of the Victorious Night.”

The question of historical responsibility has also affected Mexico's relations with Spain. In 2019, López Obrador called on the Spanish Crown to apologize for abuses committed during the conquest, which ushered in centuries of colonial rule.

Sheinbaum later reiterated that position, contributing to tensions between the two countries.

In March 2026, however, King Felipe VI acknowledged that “numerous abuses” had occurred during the Spanish conquest of the Americas in the 16th century, marking a significant development in the long-running debate over the historical legacy of the period.