Ciudad Acuña (originally Garza Galán, later Villa Acuña) is a city located in the Mexican state of Coahuila, at and a mean height above sea level of 280 metres. It stands on the Rio Grande (locally known as the Río Bravo) and offers a border crossing with the neighbouring city of Del Rio in Texas, United States of America. It serves as the municipal seat of the surrounding Acuña municipality.

Brief history

The first recorded settlement of Acuña took place on December 27, 1877. In 1880 the community received Villa status under its first name of Garza Galán. In 1884 the locality was was renamed Congregación las Vacas.

Renamed Acuña

In 1912 Congregación las Vacas was renamed Acuña, in honour of Manuel Acuña . On September 16, 1951, Villa Acuña became Ciudad Acuña.

International fame

Radio

Ciudad Acuña first gained fame under the name of Villa Acuña in the 1930s when it became the home of XERA. This radio station was known as a "border-blaster" because it broadcast with power far in excess of most stations licensed in the USA. It was managed by John R. Brinkley, a medical doctor from Kansas who became famous for his male sexual enhancement operations and treatments which he advertised by radio. XERA was closed by the government of Mexico in 1939 upon pressure from the United States.

When Villa Acuña became Ciudad Acuña it became famous once more as the location of an international broadcasting station. In 1947 the government of Mexico licensed XERF, the super-power border-blaster which created fame for disc jockey Wolfman Jack between 1962 and 1964.

Cinema

Outdoor scenes for the 1992 cult motion picture El Mariachi were shot here.

External link

• Ciudad Acuña municipal website (in Spanish)