The city experienced a short economic boom in the early 20th century related to a rail line that was built linking the two oceans, but it was soon eclipsed by the Panama Canal.

[8] Despite the circumstances, the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador revived the railroad and started working on its rehabilitation, as part of the project known as Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (abbreviated in Spanish as CIIT), modernizing the railroad line and planning the construction of 10 industrial parks across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

Though the project has raised some controversy over environmental and other such social issues, it is expected to contribute to the country's economic growth and the industrial development of the South of Mexico.

The museum has halls dedicated to archeology, ethnographic studies, the history of the Mexican Revolution and the Reform War, as well as items related to religion, regional dress, housing and folk art.

The writings of French traveler and historian Brasseur de Bourbourg and later by Mexican educator José Vasconcelos described Tehuantepec as a matriarchial society.

This depiction of the women of Tehuantepec focused on three factors: their dominance in the markets; their unreserved manner, often ridiculing men publicly; and that they bathed partially nude in the local river.

Women may participate in strikes, protests and other political movements but do not generally hold positions of power such as municipal president or council member.

[21][22] The role model for Tehuana women was a woman by the name of Juana Cata Romero who lived in the late 19th and early 20th century.

The plinth notes her works of charity in her later years, but the real reason she is admired is that she amassed her wealth and power using her looks and shrewdness, considered a Tehuana trait.

"[26] Velas are celebrations of pre-Hispanic origin which occur in each neighborhood in the Isthmus area which consist of processions in the main streets and the offering of a ceremonial candle to the patron saint.

[27] For these and other special events, women may wear traditional Tehuana dress, which consists of heavily embroidered garments accessorized with large amounts of gold jewelry.

[3][5] In addition, local specialties such as various mole sauces such as negro, rojo, amarillo, coloradito, chichilo as well as tasajo, fresh corn quesadillas and tamales are served.

It includes parties, and presentations of musicians from the Conservatoire de Paris, which has a similar festival in honor of the opening of the opera La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi.

The vegetation is mostly deciduous with guanacaste, oak, guirisiña, granadillo (Rhamnus alaternus), mango, chicozapote, hierba de cancer (Cuphea procumbens) and others dominating.

Thus, the "wild animal" component of the hill's name may actually be related to a recognition of an ancient religious meeting site associated with the symbol of the jaguar.

Through its trade routes passed manta rays, jade, other precious stones, shells, sponges, gold, amber, salt, feathers, furs, cotton, spices, honey and cocoa.

At the end of 1532, two ships were built to become part of the flotilla of Diego Hurtado de Mendoza but they wrecked on the coast of what is now Jalisco[citation needed].

The rebellion ended in 1661 in part because Philip IV put the city under direct control of the Spanish crown and issued a pardon to the rebels.

[12] In the mid 19th century, the United States pressured Mexico for transit rights across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, with the aim of building a road, railway or canal for the purpose of connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans for trade.

[30] Tehuantepec's "Golden Age" began in the early 20th century with the building and operation of the trans-Isthmus railroad, which then provided the shortest trade route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

[30] The southern Isthmus area of Tehuantepec and Juchitán have had sporadic bouts of unrest since the late 1960s, paralleling conflicts which were occurring in other parts of Mexico.

[36] This trend continued from the 1970s to the 1990s, mostly focused on the activities of the Tehuantepec diocese under bishop Arturo Lona Reyes, who led from 1971 to his retirement in 2000.

[37] The Diocese of Tehuantepec was part of a movement to mobilize the poor and indigenous in the 1980s and 1990s, allied with other elements of the Catholic Church in Oaxaca, the CEDIPIO and others.

Bishop Arturo Lona was a strong supporter of the teachings of Vatican II calling for the creation of a "people's church".

[38] He instituted a health clinic just outside the city of Tehuantepec basic hospital facilities and the promotion of natural medicine with the training of local healers called curanderos.

[43] The bishop stated that his "Opción por los Pobres" (Choice for the Poor) program which he heads would remain intact after he hands his resignation to the Vatican.

[46][47] However, in 2018 the Mexican government began to work on modernizing the railroad built in 1907 with the purpose of connecting the Pacific and the Gulf, in a project that also plans to build 10 industrial parks across the Isthmus and improve the infrastructure or the local highways and the ports of Salina Cruz and Coatzacoalcos.

Principle crops include beans, corn, sorghum, sesame seed, melons, cucumbers, squash, peanuts and flowers.

[50] The main archeological site is located on a large hill called Guiengola, Gola, Gui’ngola or Guien-Gola.

The fortress city also had pens of deer and wild boar as well as artificial ponds with fish to act as food reserves.