In the late 1990s, the community of San Nicolas Coatepec, one of the larger communities outside the municipal seat, sought to separate from Tianguistenco claiming they were marginalized due to the fact that most here are indigenous. They proclaimed the community as an “autonomous municipality.” However, this auto proclamation was not accepted by municipal or state authorities. This same community denounced the offering of lands to the family the local PRI politicians to Jorge Hank Rhon in 2001. The community claims the lands are communal property.