Ciudad Ayala is a city in the east-central part of the Mexican state of Morelos. It is named for Coronel Francisco Ayala who fought with José María Morelos during the 1812 Siege of Cuautla. The town's previous name was Mapachtlan. Ayala became a municipality on April 17, 1869.

Ciudad Ayala had a population of 6,190 inhabitants in 2005, and 6335 in 2020. The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of Ayala, had a population of 85,521 inhabitants in 2015 and it has an area of and 89,834 in 2020.

The state of Morelos reported 209 cases and 28 deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico, as of April 27, 2020, and five cases were reported in Ayala. Schools and many businesses were closed from mid March until June 1. The municipal president, Isaac Pimentel Mejía, led an effort to distribute 10,000 food baskets to families in remote areas of the municipality. On June 2, Ayala reported 44 confirmed cases and five deaths from the virus; the reopening of the state was pushed back until at least June 13. Ayala reported 264 cases, 205 recuperations, and 34 deaths as of August 31. There were 373 cases reported on December 27, 2020.

Famous residents

  • Coronel Francisco Ayala (Mexican Insurgent) (1760–1812) was the first Insurgent leader from Morelos.
  • Eufemio Zapata (1873–1917), the brother of Emiliano Zapata. He was killed by Sidronio Camacho, one of Zapata's commanders, because Eufemio had become drunk and beat and insulted Camacho's father.
  • General Pablo Torres Burgos (1877–1911). Torres Burgos founded the liberation club called Melchor Ocampo in 1909 and became a general in 1911. He is remembered for the phrase, "Down with the haciendas! Long live the people!"
  • Everardo Avelar, 1922-1923
  • Rafael Cortes Cabrera, 1924-1925
  • Simón Bravo, 1926-1927
  • Gregorio Alvarez, 1928-1929
  • Simón Bravo, 1929
  • Marciano Mora, 1929
  • Simón Bravo, 1929-1930
  • Francisco Yañez, 1930
  • Sebastián Sandoval, 1930
  • Feliciano Domínguez, 1931
  • Rafael Cortés Cabrera, 1932
  • Damaso Franco, 1933-1934
  • Carlos Mora Mejía, 1935-1936
  • Rafael Cortés Cabrera, 1937
  • Cándido Muñoz, 1938
  • Sebastián Sandoval, 1939
  • Rosalino Zapata, 1939-1940
  • Roberto Pineda Capistran, 1941-1942
  • Fidel Rendon Guevara, 1943
  • Guillermo Montes, 1943-1944
  • Francisco Alvarez Mora, 1945-1946
  • Fidencio Díaz Paredes, 1947
  • Jesús Genis, 1948
  • Saturnino Alvarez, 1949
  • Carlos Mora Mejía, 1950-1951
  • Manuel Mendoza Montaño, 1952
  • Elpidio Torres Rodríguez, 1952-1953
  • Luis Montaño Sánchez, 1953-1954
  • Angel Muñoz Plascencia, 1955-1957
  • José Rendon Plascencia, 1958-1960
  • Federico Aragón Tajonar, 1961-1963
  • Manuel Mendoza Montaño, 1964-1966
  • Antonio Franco López, 1967-1970
  • Pablo Torres Chávez, 1970-1973
  • Vicente Plascencia Muñoz, 1973
  • Armando Plascencia Muñoz, 1973-1976
  • Damián Mora Muñoz, 1976-1979
  • Javier Carbajal Muñoz, 1979-1982
  • Pablo Torres Chávez, 1982-1985
  • Pascual Rodríguez Cabrera, 1985-1988
  • Alfredo Acevedo Muñoz, 1988-1990
  • Lázaro Córdoba Herrera, 1990-1991
  • Esteban Nájera Guevara, 1991-1994
  • Dux Cortés Sánchez, 1994-1997
  • Héctor Plascencia Ayala, 1997–2000 (PRI)
  • Miguel O. Sánchez Hernández, 2000-2003 (PRI)
  • Pedro Pimentel Rivas, 2003–2006 (PRD)
  • Juan Nolasco Vázquez, 2006–2009 (PAN)
  • Issac Pimentel Rivas, 2009–2012 (PRI)
  • José Manuel Tablas Pimentel, 2013–2015 (PAN)
  • Antonio Domínguez Aragón, 2016–2018 (PRI)
  • Isaac Pimentel Mejía, 2019–present (Panal)

Economy

The Cuautla Industrial Park, located in Ayala, covers and is the second largest in Morelos. Most of the companies are related to the automotive industry. The largest employers are Saint-Gobainl, (glass), Sekurit (windshields), and Continental Automotive Temic (industrial parts and transmissions).

Agriculture is the dominant occupation. Crops include sugar cane, corn, sorghum, rice, onions, zucchini, and gladiolas. Cattle, sheep, horses, and poultry are raised. Tourism is also important.

Tourist attractions

The archaeological ruins of Olintepec in Ciudad Ayala date from 1500 BCE to 1610 CE, although its peak was from 1200 to 1610 CE. The people paid tribute to Huaxtepec (Oaxtepec), the Mexicas, and the Texcocanos. Tlayecac has Prehispanic paintings and a small pyramid. The novel Tiro al vuelo by Alejandro Volnie is set in the village. The 1962 movie Pueblito, directed by Emilio Fernández was filmed there.

There are ex-haciendas in Tenextepango and Coahuixtla as well as Chinameca. General Emiliano Zapata and three of his men were assassinated in Chinameca on April 10, 1919, and the hacienda has been transformed into the National Museum of Agrarian Reform Movement. There is also a large statue of Zapata on the property.

Other attractions in Ayala include the parish church of San José, whose feast is March 15, and the kiosk. and El Colobri (the hummingbird) which is privately owned. Both have large parking lots and allow camping.