---

Founded date: June 29, 1543

Name of the founder (s): Sebastián de Belalcázar

Historical review:

The history of Caloto begins from the time of the Spanish conquest, shortly after Sebastián de Belalcázar failed in his attempt to personally subdue the Paéz Indians who inhabited the Tierradentro region, in the department of Cauca. Previously, Belalcázar had ordered his captains to found a city that, "making the border, was a parade ground with a lot of occupation by captains and soldiers" to defend Popayán.

Belalcázar's order was executed by Captain Juan de Cabrera, on June 29, 1543, after the foundation of Neiva, made by the same officer.

Twenty years did not pass until Caloto was destroyed by the fury of paéces and pijaos. However, the efforts of the conquerors to occupy the Páez indigenous territory continued, despite the resistance they opposed.

The task initiated by Belalcázar is assumed by the Adelantado Don Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada who, gives his consent to Captain Domingo Lozano to undertake another expedition, in April 1562.

In this adventure Lozano failed, the bulk of his soldiers being destroyed. This circumstance forced if he returned to Santa Fe to equip himself with a good number of soldiers and weapons.

In December 1562 Lozano returned to the land of the countries.

According to the account of the traveling chronicler and anthropologist of the 16th century, Fray Pedro de Aguado, the order to Lozano stated: ´´When the punishment was done and the land was leveled, a town would be populated where the soldiers who, in punishing the wickedness of the countries, they were busy for some time.

Caloto Viejo

After numerous vicissitudes, Domingo Lozano founded the new city with the name of San Vicente Ferrer de los Paéces or ´´Caloto Viejo´´, on January 3, 1563, not far from the site where Sebastián de Belalcázar was defeated, on a plateau between the Paez and Tóez rivers.

The prosperity and importance of this city was so great that it deserved to be a matter of dispute between the civil and ecclesiastical governments, between the Archbishopric the New Kingdom and the Bishopric of Popayán; between the Royal Court of Santa Fé and the Royal Court of Quito.

The paéces were not happy with the establishment of a Spanish population in territory of indigenous dominion. For this reason, they repeatedly asked Domingo Lozano that the invaders leave the place as the only condition to be able to seal the peace.

Not being heard by the Spanish, the natives decided to attack the city of La Plata in 1573, until it was completely destroyed.

The event forced the governor of Popayán, Sancho García de Espinar, to go out on an expedition to subdue the indigenous people. The harsh punishments that were imposed on the rebels, made them take revenge, destroying again the ´´Spanish population´´ of Caloto, once the expedition members had returned to Popayán.

Traveling City

Following orders from the Spanish crown, the city had to be rebuilt, without the persecution to which it had been subjected by the countries associated with the Pijaos, or the natural intention of its inhabitants to escape the danger that threatened them, being weighty inconveniences. greater to desist from the conquering and colonizing proposal.

Caloto became a walking city, through the mountainous and steep paths of Cauca since the third foundation, made by Captain Hernando Arias de Saavedra on the Páez plateau at the end of 1579, with the name of San Juan del Huila .

As the enemies' siege persists, other transfers become an obligation, as we will see below:

January 10, 1582. She is transferred to the Caloto Mines Seat with the name of "Nueva Segovia de Caloto", a commission that is carried out by Captain Arias de Saavedra himself.

October 15, 1585 Moved to the Quinayó Valley, in the province of Los Tunibíos, by Arias de Saavedra.

August 27, 1587. Moved to the right bank of the Rio Palo, near Cali, by Captain Lorenzo de Paz Maldonado.

It should be noted that the city of the Quinayó Valley was not completely evacuated. Due to various circumstances, some inhabitants, mostly mestizo, stayed in it. Those of Spanish blood went to inhabit the new foundation on the banks of the Río Palo, in such a way that the city was divided into two parts called: Caloto Arriba and Caloto Abajo, in which the seat of government was established.

Later destroyed by the Indians the upper part, they did not take long to attack the lower part, without major damage but with defeats and many deaths for the rebels, in 1592.

The new days of submission against the rebels, this time undertaken by Captain Pedro de Velasco, determined the end of the sieges and destruction of the natives.

But other threats would come with time the discords between the own inhabitants of the city.

After unacceptable claims of some inhabitants led by Captain Francisco de Mariones and Esteban de Miranda, who aspired to acquire autonomy and particular enjoyment of privileges, the city was dismembered.

Some are going to settle in the so-called ´´Mato de Moñones´´ which was located on the site of San Esteban de la Quebrada de los Bermejales, without permission from any authority and taking with them belongings and famous relics of the city.

Others with the leadership and leadership of Don Nicolás Pérez, determined to remain in the legitimacy of the city, returned the relics stolen by Mariones to their place of origin, after having gone for them on a nocturnal expedition to the Quebrada de los Bermejales.

Despite the achievements obtained by Pérez and other colleagues who remained in the legitimacy, they could not temper themselves to the prevailing situation and "Losing hope of seeing the city in its old being, everyone moved from it."

As some historians suggest in their stories, the movement of that rest of the inhabitants faithful to the legitimacy occurred in 1596 and, realizing that they could not go to meet the Mariones in the Quebrada de Bermejales, it could be that they founded Caloto on the site. that today occupies.

The order for this move was issued by the captain for the punishment of the indigenous people who attacked Caloto Abajo, at that time Lieutenant Governor of Nueva Segovia de Caloto, Don Pedro de Velasco. The order for this transfer was executed by Captain Juan Moreno.

Continuing the differences between the two strongholds of what was the old city on the site of the Palo River, it corresponds to the Lieutenant General of Pardons and Compositions, Don Policarpo del Pando, to visit the parties and resolve such situation.

In order to unity, he orders that ´´all the residents of Caloto move´´ to the place where the city stands today, and thus it should have been confirmed in colonial protocol in the year 1714.





The Municipality of Caloto is located to the North of the Department of Cauca, it has a territorial extension of 26,931.62 Hectares, at a height of 1,100 Mts. Above sea level, its coordinates are: 30º 01 north latitude 76º 25 west longitude of the Greenwich meridian

Limits of the municipality:

North: With the Municipality of Villa Rica, Puerto Tejada and Guachené.

South: With the Municipalities of Santander de Quilichao and Jambalo.

East: With the Municipalities of Corinto and Toribio.

West: With the Municipalities of Santander de Quilichao and Villa Rica.



Total extension: 397.21 Km2

Urban area extension: 234.68 Hectares

Rural area extension:

Altitude of the municipal seat (meters above sea level): 1050 Mts

Average temperature: 25 ° C

Reference distance: 81 km from the city of Popayán and 43 km from the city of Cali.

Economy

In the municipality of Caloto, the agricultural sector is the one that generates the highest number of jobs (50.1%), followed by the industry that creates 15.3% of the total jobs generated in the municipality, the employment created by the state is 12.1%



Although the Municipality has several Industrial parks with 66 established companies, the employment rate for people in the sector has not increased since the Industries affirm that they cannot find qualified labor to employ, so it is important to train the population and do agreements for the Industry to employ local labor.



The Sugar Mills are another source of job creation since they came to buy or rent land, converting the former small and medium producers into tenants or workers for wages, notably reducing the production and agricultural variety of the Municipality.



Roadways:

TOTAL ROADS IN THE MUNICIPALITY 195 Km. There are approximately 50.0 Km. Of penetration and bridle roads in the intermediate and upper part. There are 45 km of flexible pavement in the municipality, of which 85% is in good condition, 10% in fair condition and 5% in poor condition. 60% of the maintenance is carried out by the municipality.



Affirmed in the municipality there are 125 km, of which 8.4% is in good condition, 63.3% in fair condition and 28.4% in poor condition. 90% of the flat area has access roads although some do not have technical specifications and do not have maintenance. The greatest difficulty occurs in the part of the mountain where there are still sidewalks without road access and with bridle paths that are quite steep and difficult to travel, especially in winter.



Public transport is provided mainly by 2 legalized companies and some private vehicles that are dedicated to this business, the established routes are Caloto - Santander, Caloto - Crucero de Guali - Guachene and Caloto - La Y, towards the other paths it is difficult to find the service because the demand is not very high and the condition of the roads is regular.





Tourist sites:

Parks Hacienda Japio, Hacienda Pílamo, La Chorrera del Indio, Piedra Grande Beach, Río Palo Beaches

Nature reserves: Semana Santa Grande and Chiquita

---