Estado de Occidente (also known as
Sonora y Sinaloa) was a Mexican state established in 1824. The constitution was drafted in that year and the government was initially established with its capital at
El Fuerte, Sinaloa. The first governor was Juan Miguel Riesgo. The state consisted of modern
Sonora and
Sinaloa, and also modern
Arizona more or less south of the
Gila River (although in much of this area the Yaqui,
Pima,
Apaches, and other native inhabitants did not recognize the authority of the state),
The constitution was established in 1825 with one of its principals being the making of all inhabitants of the state citizens. This was resented by the
Yaqui since they now had to pay taxes, which they had been exempt from before. The Yaqui also considered themselves possessed of sovereignty and territorial rights which were threatened by the states new constitution.
This led to a new outbreak of war between the Mexicans and the Yaquis (see
Yaqui Wars) with Juan Banderas as the leader of the Yaqui forces. As a result of this war the capital of Occidente was moved to
Cosala.
Sonora and Sinaloa were again split into two separate states in 1830.