The area was originally occupied by Maya and Lenca people
from pre-Columbian times who formed two settlements called Eramani and
Lentercala. In 1647, Mayor Francisco de La Cerda was appointed by the Spanish throne
to officially demarcate the territory of the indigenous population. He divided
the land into two jurisdictions, not corresponding to the Eramani and
Lentercala sites, and created boundaries and names for the surrounding small
communities. Over time, the two jurisdictions developed a rivalry, especially
over land. The cities grew in population especially in the 1800s and La
Esperanza was
