Judging from this relaxing, shaded square named Zocalo, it is hard to imagine Puerto Morelos was once a thriving seaport for mahogany and later gum resin. When the markets collapsed in the mid-1900s, PoMo (as the locals call it) slipped back into obscurity despite its still active container dock. The town’s namesake is José María Morelos, a priest who led the Mexican War of Independence against Spain in the early 19th century. He was also the first President of the Supreme Mexican Government for about a year until he was captured, tried for treason against the Spanish crown and executed in 1815. The town is justifiably proud of its national hero.
