Patzún

According to archeologists and historians Patzún was founded during the 12th Century and was part of the Kaqchikel Kingdom of Iximché. Today, the municipality occupies a territory of 77 square miles and has an average altitude of 7,287 feet above sea level. Patzún’s population of 58,240, 95.1% being of Indigenous ancestry, is dispersed throughout the municipality’s 14 villages and 23 hamlets. The local economy is based on agriculture with corn, beans, wheat and coffee being crops of particular importance. Although Patzún has an economy that consists primarily of the production of agricultural goods, there is also a significant presence of mining activities that include the extraction of silver, lead, coal, and antimony. ALDEA and ABPD partnered with the municipality of Patzún from 2006 to 2017.