Blogosphere Reacts to Zapatista Communique

san cristobala 066The Zapatista Army of National Liberation, otherwise known as the EZLN or more commonly, the Zapatistas have recently released three somewhat enigmatic communiques (1, 2, 3) declaring a “General Red Alert” and heightened militarization of the movement. In addition, as the first communique [english] warns, “national and international civil societies who are working in peace camps and in community projects are being urged to leave rebel territory. Or, if they decide freely of their own volition, they remain on their own and at their own risk …”

Bloggers in Mexico and throughout the world have been quick to offer their analysis. Alejandro Juárez (who is asking for non-English and Spanish speakers to translate his friend Carlos’ post into other languages) points to his friend Carlos’ post which warns that Mexico is in the middle of a crisis and that if Indigenous rights are not recognized shortly, a revolution is on the horizon. His post also summarizes in English the Zapatista movement over the past 11 years and links to many recent articles in Spanish.


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Meanwhile, Ivan Eduardo of Tampico, Mexico writes on his blog, Actualidad that the Mexican political group COCOPA is currently investigating whether or not the Red Alert and expulsion of civic groups was actually inspired to ease the cultivation of drugs in the rebel held territories in order to gather funds.

Espacio del rudoska relates that the Mexican national army has been put on alert and that Bancomer has frozen the accounts of the organization while investigating into laundered money. The Brazilian blog XOJOBIL – NOTÍCIAS has posted an email from the University of Texas Chiapas 95 mailing list which announced the Center for Human Rights in Chiapas’ intentions to avoid any escalation of violence in the Zapatista stronghold of southern Mexico. Part of the latest bulletin from the respected human rights organization reads:

Llamamos a la sociedad civil a organizar iniciativas que apoyen la distensión e impidan el avance de una escalada de violencia

We call to the civil society to organize initiatives that support the distention and impede the advance of any escalation of violence

As an aside, the blog Europa Focus, written by a Mexican journalist living in Belgium recently clarified that without a passport, Subcommandante Marcos (pictured here), would never be allowed to enter the EU. There had been some talk previously of a friendly soccer match between the ski mask clad Zapatistas and Italian powerhouse Inter Milan.

Up to the minute information on this newest development in the Zapatista movement can be found in both Spanish and English on the Chiapas Independent Media Center website. If you know of any blogs written from Chiapas with first hand accounts, please leave a link in the comments section.

9 comments

  • The originally comment (warns that Mexico is in the middle of a crisis) is from my friend Carlos.

    We are announcing this message to other people in the world, we need help now!, the mass media in mexico are hidden the information in the news.

  • Thank you Alejandro. I made a small change to give Carlos credit. Do you have a link?

  • Globalization & Neo-Colonialism
    !!WAKE UP!!

    Please review your comment before posting …

    HOW CAN THE FUTURE BE SO PRIMATIVE?

    Here we are in the Twentieth Century helplessly watching yet another Human Culture be “Oppressed” by a “White Suppremest Imperialistic Power”. Who’s country is the opposite of independant and who’s Rich illustirous lifestile is nothing more than the “Spoils of War” A Nation that FORCES its POLITICAL GOALS upon another society through MILITARY POWER is called an Empire. And when its POLITICAL GOALS are RACIALY and FINANCIALLY motivated its called a “HATE CRIME” or WAR CRIME/CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY And don’t be mistaken an EMPIRE is exactly what the United States intends to build. Expressing no COMPASHION FOR HUMANITY, CONCIENCE nor sense of WRONG or RIGHT the FACIST WHITE SUPPREMEST IMPERIALISTIC POWER known as the United States Government has yet again SLANDERED and OPPRESSED another HUMAN SOCIETY. Justifying 3000 American lives lost in a plane accident the United States Launched a 4 day bombardment of a heavily populated CIVILIAN area killing upwards of 100,000 inoccent people. Proving Once agian they will not only STEAL another cultures land but HUMILIATE and GENOCIDE their NATURAL WAY OF LIFE. Never in my life did i really think I would be so glad to live in the Great White North(THE GOOD SIDE OF THE BORDER) Now realalizing that only 195 years ago to this Canada Day that 10’s of thousands of Canadians gave their lives to stop a MASS AMERICAN INVASION for the CIVIL RIGHTS and FREEDOM we have today. We Truely are free. To the South are 260 million Brainwashed Nazi Capitalists who will Point Certain Death in whatever direction their CORUPT GOVERNMENT points its twisted finger. How Quickly ANITITERRORISM turns to TERRORISM. Now is the Time that Canada must Stand up and let our voice be heard, We are one of the GREATEST INDEPENDANT MULTICULTURAL NATIONS IN THE WORLD who practice FREE TRADE and promote FREEDOM and PROSPERITY thoughout the world. We must not forget our HERITAGE and allow ourselves to be ASSIMILATED by the “Nazi Capitalists” who now feel they are fit to rule the world. I Refer to the United States as NAZI CAPITALISTS for the simple fact that they’re government has launched a MINDWARPING PROPEGANDA scheme and commited such atrosive CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY that it can only be compared to the HOLOCAUST in reality the United States has been the AXIS OF ALL EVIL in the last 250 years. Origianaly British CONQORERS who Launched a RACIALY and FINANCIALLY motived War agianst a New Found North America LandMass. Which lead to the near GENOCIDE of an entire HUMAN CULTURE.(The “Indian Wars” not in American History!) But to what eventually turned on its MOTHERLAND Britain. Then Canada for not joining its Cause, Trying to Assimilate Not only our Culture but Land and Finances. The United States now denies its Eastern origin and Considers itself a Western Culture as it has Continued to ASSULT the rest of the FREE world since. Using FACIST BRAINWASHING NAZI PROPEGANDA to gain their populations support and financial backing. The United States Government has never Been invaded nor has another culture tried to assimilate them yet they are commited to SPENDING BILLIONS and killing THOUSANDS to fight every United States INVASION to the “last ditch” in order to expand their borders and achieve their political and economical goals.
    Yet somehow the American Public thinks they are PROTECTING THEMSELVES!?!?
    The American public has watched COVERUP after SCANDAL and COVERUP after CONSPIRACY and yet still never questions their Governments Morals or Motivations…They blindly follow in a SLAUGHTER THE COW fashion while their TAX DOLLARS are spent on the MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTING of WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION instead of HEALTHCARE and EDUCATION! Yet Americans claim they fight for FREEDOM!?
    · In the 20th Century there is only ONE “TERRORIST ORGANIZATION” and it is the UNITED STATES of AMERICA. The American Citizens need to wake up and realize that thier Government WELCOMES and BRINGS WW3 to the Human Race so they can Conqour it!

    -A Canadian Citizen who loves his FREEDOM HIS COUNTRY AND THE NATURAL FREE WORLD

  • Cheryl Fontaine

    Apparently, you are grossly uninformed and undereducated, or maybe you just don’t read.

    I am an American citizen, I am not a nazi. I, along with millions of my countrymen, vehemently oppose the war in Iraq and pretty much everything else Bush does. You think we don’t question, indeed, SHOUT!? You insult the intelligence of everyone who is trying to do something. You make yourself look like an ass.

    Shut up and go back to whittling.

  • I’m not sure it’s fair to say that what the zapatistas are planning is a further militarization of their movement. And the context of the request for civil society to leave was also wrong. The leadership of the ezln has gone nomadic for fear of assasination or attack by mexican government or paramilitary forces. In the latest (Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona) statement they unequivocally state that
    “The EZLN maintains its commitment to an offensive ceasefire, and it will not make any attack against government forces or any offensive military movements.”

    The local supporters who had acted as soldiers and social workers are being called up to travel the countryside and engage in a dialogue with “workers, campesinos, students, teachers, employees…the workers of the city and the countryside.”
    You may not agree with their politics but to pretend that they are a purely militaristic movement is inaccurate.
    In their statement they speak about what they want to do in the world, and it amounts to sending maize to the people of Cuba as a gift, and sending coffee and crafts to European activists. I suggest anyone read the statements for themselves to avoid any spin one way or another.

    You can find the Sixth Declaration at

    http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=59&ItemID=8218

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  • raptor

    Kiss my ass,funny how the”Cowards of Canauckistan”hide under the protection of the American military,including paticipation of the missle shield,then whine and cry about American Imperialisam.Come talk to me when you do something about your thieving,corrupt government.If you can pry Chretan’s lips off the ass of the cheese eating,surrender monkeys(France)you can critise the U.S.,untill then take a hand full of sand and pound it up your terrorist loving ass.

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