Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities Explained

Conventional Long Name:Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities
Subdivision:Autonomous governmental units
Nation:Mexico
Demonym:Zapatista| status_text = | title_leader = | title_deputy = | leader1 = | year_leader1 = | deputy1 = | year_deputy1 = | legislature = | house1 = | house2 = | type_house1 = | type_house2 = | capital = None
Oventik [1] | coordinates = | motto = Aquí manda el Pueblo y el Gobierno Obedece (Spanish)
"Here the people rule and the government obeys"| anthem = Himno Zapatista| political_subdiv = | year_start = 1994| year_end = 2023| event_start = Zapatista uprising| date_start = 1 January| event_end = Dissolved| date_end = 5 November| event1 = Caracoles established[2] | date_event1 = 9 August 2003| event2 = Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona[3] | date_event2 = 30 June 2005| event3 = | date_event3 = | event4 = | date_event4 = | event5 = | date_event5 = | life_span = | era = | event_pre = | date_pre = | event_post = Reorganised as Local Autonomous Governments| date_post = 12 November 2023| image_flag = Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, Flag.svg| image_border = | flag_type = | flag = | image_coat = Red star.svg| symbol_type = Red Star| symbol = Red star| image_map = Mexico Chiapas neozapatista map.svg| image_map_caption = Territory controlled by the Zapatistas in Chiapas at their peak| p1 = | flag_p1 = | border_p1 = | image_p1 = | s1 = | flag_s1 = | border_s1 = | image_s1 = | stat_year1 = 2018| stat_area1 = 24,403| stat_pop1 = 300,000[4] [5] | area_lost1 = | lost_to1 = | area_lost_year1 = | area_gained1 = | gained_from1 = | area_gained_year1 = | Status = Former de facto autonomous region of Chiapas| Government = Councils of Good Government| government_type = Municipal council| Arms = | arms_caption = | Civic = | civic_caption = | HQ = | CodeName = | Code = | Divisions = | DivisionsNames = | DivisionsMap = | divisions_map_caption = | membership_title1 = | membership1 = | membership_title2 = | membership2 = | membership_title3 = | membership3 = | membership_title4 = | membership4 = | membership_title5 = | membership5 = | footnotes = }}The Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities (Spanish; Castilian: Municipios Autónomos Rebeldes Zapatistas, MAREZ) were the basic governmental units utilized until 2023 within the de facto autonomous territories controlled by neo-Zapatista support bases in the Mexican state of Chiapas. They were founded following the Zapatista uprising which took place in 1994[6] and were part of the wider Chiapas conflict. Despite attempts at negotiation with the Mexican government which resulted in the San Andrés Accords in 1996, the region's autonomy remains unrecognized by that government.[7]

The Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) does not hold formal political power in Zapatista governance. According to its constitution, no commander or member of the Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee may take positions of authority or government in these spaces.[8]

The MAREZ were found within the official municipalities, and several were even within the same municipality, as in the case of San Andrés Larráinzar and Ocosingo. The MAREZ were coordinated by autonomous Zapatista Councils of Good Government (Spanish: Spanish; Castilian: Juntas de Buen Gobierno) and their main objectives were to promote education and health in their territories. They also fought for land rights, labor and trade, housing, and fuel-supply issues, promoting arts (especially indigenous language and traditions), and administering justice.[9]

On 17 August 2019, the Zapatistas announced a significant increase of autonomous municipalities, and a new term for centers of Zapatista autonomy. In most cases these Centers of Autonomous Resistance and Zapatista Rebellion (CRAREZ) include a Spanish; Castilian: Caracol (English: "Snail"), a Council of Good Government, and a Rebel Autonomous Zapatista Municipality (MAREZ). The Zapatistas credited this growth primarily to the efforts of "women, men, children, and elders of the Zapatista bases of support" and secondarily to a backfiring counter-insurgency strategy of the Mexican state, which "generate[s] conflict and demoralization" among non-Zapatistas. Eleven new Centers of Autonomous Resistance and Zapatista Rebellion (CRAREZ) were declared; specifically, four new autonomous municipalities and seven new Caracoles (each accompanied by a Council of Good Government). This raised the total number of Caracoles from five to twelve, and brought the total number of autonomous Zapatistas centers to 43, including 27 original autonomous Zapatista municipalities, 5 original Caracoles, and the 11 autonomous Zapatista centers newly declared.[10]

In November 2023, after increased cartel violence, the EZLN announced the reorganization of Zapatista autonomy and dissolution of the MAREZ, with only the Caracoles remaining open to locals. Later that month, they announced the reorganisation of the MAREZ into thousands of "Local Autonomous Governments" (GAL) which form area-wide "Zapatista Autonomous Government Collectives" (CGAZ) and zone-wide "Assemblies of Collectives of Zapatista Autonomous Governments" (ACGAZ).[11]

Background

On 1 January 1994, thousands of EZLN members occupied towns and cities in Chiapas, burning down police stations, occupying government buildings, and skirmishing with the Mexican army. The EZLN demanded "work, land, housing, food, health care, education, independence, freedom, democracy, justice, and peace" in their communities.[12] The Zapatistas seized over a million acres from large landowners during their revolution.[13]

Distribution

Since 2003, the Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities (MAREZ) coordinated in very small groups called Spanish; Castilian: caracoles (English: "snails" or "seashells"). Before that, the Neo-Zapatistas used the title of Aguascalientes after the site of the EZLN-organized National Democratic Convention on 8 August 1994;[14] this name alluded to the Convention of Aguascalientes during the Mexican Revolution where Emiliano Zapata and other leaders met in 1914 and Zapata made an alliance with Francisco Villa.

Distribution of Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities (MAREZ) locations[15] [16]
MAREZ CaracolFormer Name (Aguascalientes)Indigenous GroupsArea and municipalities in which they were found
  • General Emiliano Zapata
  • San Pedro de Michoacán
  • Liberty of the Maya People
  • Land and Liberty
Mother of the sea snails of our dreamsLa Realidad Tojolabales, Tzeltales, and MamesSelva Fronteriza. "Ocosingo, Marques de Comillas"
  • 17 November
  • First of January
  • Ernesto Ché Guevara
  • Olga Isabel
  • Lucio Cabañas
  • Miguel Hidalgo
  • Vicente Guerrero
Whirlwind of our words MoreliaTzeltales, Tzotziles, and TojolabalesTzots Choj Altamirano, Comitán
  • Francisco Gómez
  • San Manuel
  • Francisco Villa
  • Ricardo Flores Magón
Resistance toward a new dawn La GarruchaTzeltalesSelva Tzeltal "Ocosingo, Altamirano"
  • Vicente Guerrero
  • Del Trabajo
  • La Montaña
  • San José en Rebeldía
  • La Paz
  • Benito Juárez
  • Francisco Villa
That speaks for all Roberto BarriosCholes, Zoques, and TzeltalesZona Norte de Chiapas San Andrés Larrainzar, El Bosque, Simojovel de allende
  • San Andrés Sacamch’en de los Pobres
  • San Juan de la Libertad
  • San Pedro Polhó
  • Santa Catarina
  • Magdalena de la Paz
  • 16 February
  • San Juan Apóstol Cancuc
Resistance and rebellion for humanityOventic Tzotziles, and TzeltalesAltos de Chiapas, San Andrés Larrainzar, Teopisca.
Hope of HumanityEjido Santa MaríaChicomuselo
Ernesto Che GuevaraEl BelénMotozintla
Planting consciousness in order to harvest revolutions for lifeTulan Ka’uAmatenango del Valle
December 21K’anal HulubChilón
Distribution of Centers of Autonomous Resistance and Zapatista Rebellion (CRAREZ) locations
CRAREZ CaracolFormer Name (Aguascalientes)Area and municipalities in which they were found
Steps of History, for the life of HumanityThe heart of rebellious seeds collective, memory of Comrade GaleanoLa UniónSan Quintín
Seed that flourishes with the conscience of those who struggle forever Dignified spiral weaving the colors of humanity in memory of the fallen ones
New Dawn in resistance and rebellion for life and humanityFlourishing the rebellious seedEl Poblado Patria NuevaOcosingo
The rebellious thinking of the original peoplesIn honor of the memory of Comrade ManuelDolores HidalgoOcosingo
The light that shines on the world Resistance and rebellion, a new horizonEl Poblado Nuevo JerusalénOcosingo
Heart of our lives for the new future Root of the resistances and the rebellions for humanityEjido Jolj’aTila
Flower of our word and light of our people that reflects for all Jacinto CanekComunidad del CIDECI-UnitierraSan Cristóbal de las Casas

Governance

Within the MAREZ, popular assemblies each consisted of around 300 families in which anyone over the age of twelve could participate in decision-making. These assemblies strove to reach a consensus, but were willing to fall back to a majority vote. The communities formed a federation with other communities to create an autonomous municipality, which formed further federations with other municipalities to create a region.[17] Each community had three main administrative structures: (1) the commissariat, in charge of day-to-day administration; (2) the council for land control, which dealt with forestry and disputes with neighboring communities; and (3) the agencia, a community police agency.[18]

Public services

After the dissolution of the MAREZ, Subcomandante Moises said in an official statement that the Caracoles (Zapatista community centres) would continue providing their services to locals, but would be "closed to outsiders".

Education

The Zapatistas run hundreds of schools with thousands of teachers. They are modeled around the principles of democratic education in which students and communities collectively decide on school curriculum and students aren't graded.[19]

Healthcare

The Zapatistas maintain a universal healthcare service which is provided free of charge. However, patients still have to pay for medications to cover restocking costs.[20] The Zapatistas built two new hospitals and 18 health clinics in the region by the mid-1990s. One 2014 study indicated the following achievements in Zapatista healthcare:

  • In 2005, 84.2% of Zapatista children were fully vaccinated, while that figure stood at 74.8% in pro-government communities.[21]
  • In regions where there were previously significantly high rates of death during childbirth, there has now been a period of eight years or more where no maternal deaths have been recorded.
  • The manufacture and consumption of alcohol has been banned, which is directly linked to the reduction in many illnesses and infections including ulcers, cirrhosis, malnutrition, and surgical wounds.[22] Banning the consumption of alcohol was a collective decision. Nayely, a Zapatista representative, stated that alcohol is “not good for one’s health, and just wastes money”.[23]

According to one account of Oventic from 2016:

In Oventic, there was a small yet seemingly fully-functional medical clinic, which appeared to offer basic healthcare. A sign on the door said general consultations, gynecology, optometry and laboratory services were all available five days a week. Emergency services were available 24 hours, seven days a week. They appeared to have a shiny new ambulance at their disposal. Other services offered a few days a week included dentistry and ultrasounds.[24]

Water

Many Zapatista communities are in rural areas with little access to running water. Projects were undertaken to supply Zapatista communities with fresh water. In one case, Roberto Arenas, a small Tzeltal community, built its own water service with the help of solidarity activists. Such projects were coordinated democratically. An account by Ramor Ryan noted:[25] Ryan described the process of finishing the water project:

2023 Zapatista Autonomy Reform

In early November 2023, a communique signed by Subcomandante Moises announced the dissolution of the Rebel Zapatista Autonomous Municipalities,[26] [27] [28] [29] along with their Councils of Good Government. The announcement declared that, effective immediately, all positions and documents related to the MAREZ would be considered invalid. The statement clarified that the Caracoles (Zapatista community centres) would continue providing their services to locals, but would be "closed to outsiders".

Although he did not describe specific reasons for the dissolution, Moises cited rising cartel violence along the Guatemala–Mexico border, where many of its municipalities are located. The state of Chiapas had already been experiencing a rise in people smuggling, drug trafficking and open conflict between the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. In September 2021, the EZLN had described the situation in the state as a "civil war". The Zapatistas reported that the cartels, which they linked with the Mexican government, had carried out "road blockades, robberies, kidnappings, extortion, forced recruitment, [and] shootouts" in the region. The statement described the cities of Chiapas as being in "complete chaos", and that many (including San Cristóbal de las Casas, Comitán, Las Margaritas and Palenque) were controlled by the cartels. They also reported that the Mexican Army and National Guard, which had deployed thousands of troops to the region, had not combatted criminal violence; they claimed that the Mexican state's troops were only there to prevent illegal immigration to the United States.

According to the statement, the decision to dissolve the MAREZ had been discussed for months prior to the announcement. It has been speculated that the decision had been taken due to the upcoming 2024 Mexican general election. According to Mexican anthropologist Gaspar Morquecho, the Zapatistas had also become "increasingly isolated", cutting ties with other organisations. Morquecho claimed this had caused many in the younger generation to leave the Zapatista municipalities, in order to seek work or education.

Moises promised that future statements would clarify the reasons for the decision, as well as details on the restructuring of "Zapatista autonomy". The statement also stated the Zapatistas' intention to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their uprising, inviting people to come, while also warning that Chiapas was no longer safe.

See also

Bibliography

Books

Journal articles

  • Chatterton. Paul. Ryan. Ramor. 2008. ¡Ya Basta! The Zapatista struggle for autonomy revisited. City. 12. 1. 115–125. 1360-4813. 10.1080/13604810801933800. 2008City...12..115C . 145770382 .
  • Cortez Ruiz. Carlos. 2004. Social Strategies and Public Policies in an Indigenous Zone in Chiapas, Mexico. IDS Bulletin. 35. 2. 76–83. 10.1111/j.1759-5436.2004.tb00124.x . 0265-5012.
  • Dinerstein. Ana Cecilia. 2013. The Speed of the Snail: The Zapatistas' Autonomy De Facto and the Mexican State. Bath Papers in International Development and Wellbeing. 20. 1–17. 10.2139/ssrn.2401859. 153929083 . 2040-3151.
  • Earle. Duncan. Simonelli. Jeanne. 2004. The Zapatistas and Global Civil Society: Renegotiating the Relationship. European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies. 76. 119–125. 10.18352/erlacs.9689 . 0924-0608. 25676076.
  • Forbis. Melissa M.. 2016. After autonomy: the zapatistas, insurgent indigeneity, and decolonization. Settler Colonial Studies. 6. 4. 365–384. 2201-473X. 10.1080/2201473X.2015.1090531. 159590375 .
  • Fox. Jonathan. 2007. Rural democratization and decentralization at the state/society interface: What counts as 'local' government in the mexican countryside?. The Journal of Peasant Studies. 34. 3–4. 527–559. 0306-6150. 10.1080/03066150701802934. 152847463 .
  • Erandi. Maldonado-Villalpando. Jaime. Paneque-Gálvez. Federico. Demaria. Brian M.. Napoletano. 2022. Grassroots innovation for the pluriverse: evidence from Zapatismo and autonomous Zapatista education. Sustainability Science. 17. 4. 1301–1316. 1862-4065. 10.1007/s11625-022-01172-5. free. 35818623 . 9261257. 2022SuSc...17.1301M .
  • González Casanova. Pablo. 2005. The Zapatista "caracoles": Networks of resistance and autonomy. Socialism and Democracy. 19. 3. 79–92. 0885-4300. 10.1080/08854300500257963. 144853640 .
  • Guillén. Diana. 2017. Societies in Movement vs. Institutional Continuities? Insights from the Zapatista Experience. Latin American Perspectives. 44. 4. 114–138. 10.1177/0094582X16635292. 147296630 . 0094-582X.
  • Harvey. Neil. 2005. Inclusion Through Autonomy: Zapatistas and Dissent. NACLA Report on the Americas. 39. 2. 12–17. 10.1080/10714839.2005.11722353. 152256789 . 1071-4839.
  • Harvey. Neil. 2016. Practicing autonomy: Zapatismo and decolonial liberation. Latin American and Caribbean Ethnic Studies. 11. 1. 1–24. 10.1080/17442222.2015.1094872. 146183871 . 1744-2222.
  • Mora. Mariana. 2003. The Imagination to Listen: Reflections on a Decade of Zapatista Struggle. Social Justice. 30. 3. 17–31. 1043-1578. 29768206.
  • Mora. Mariana. 2007. Zapatista Anticapitalist Politics and the "Other Campaign": Learning from the Struggle for Indigenous Rights and Autonomy. Latin American Perspectives. 34. 2. 64–77. 0094-582X. 10.1177/0094582X06299086. 145172536 .
  • Mora. Mariana. 2015. The Politics of Justice: Zapatista Autonomy at the Margins of the Neoliberal Mexican State. Latin American and Caribbean Ethnic Studies. 10. 1. 87–106. 10.1080/17442222.2015.1034439. 146985966 . 1744-2222.
  • Reyes. Alvaro. Kaufman. Mara. 2011. Sovereignty, Indigeneity, Territory: Zapatista Autonomy and the New Practices of Decolonization. South Atlantic Quarterly. 110. 2. 505–525. 10.1215/00382876-1162561. 0038-2876. 10161/10650. free.
  • Stahler-Sholk. Richard. 2007. Resisting Neoliberal Homogenization: The Zapatista Autonomy Movement. Latin American Perspectives. 34. 2. 48–63. 0094-582X. 10.1177/0094582X06298747. 27648009. 143631891 .
  • Stahler-Sholk. Richard. 2010. The Zapatista Social Movement: Innovation and Sustainability. . 35. 3. 269–290. 0304-3754. 10.1177/030437541003500306. 144511806 .
  • van der Haar. Gemma. 2004. The Zapatista Uprising and the Struggle for Indigenous Autonomy. European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies. 76. 99–108. 0924-0608. 25676074.
  • Zugman. Kara. 2005. Autonomy in a Poetic Voice: Zapatistas and Political Organizing in Los Angeles. Latino Studies. 3. 3. 325–346. 1476-3435. 10.1057/palgrave.lst.8600157. 143742914 .

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Caracoles y Juntas de Buen Gobierno. 2018-07-21. usurped. https://web.archive.org/web/20130819194958/http://www.enlacecivil.org.mx/caracoles.html. 19 August 2013.
  2. Web site: Pablo. Gonzlez Casanova. Los caracoles zapatistas: Redes de resistencia y autonoma. 2003-09-11. La Jornada. es. 8 November 2023.
  3. Web site: Sixth Declaration of the Selva Lacandona. Enlace Zapatista. 30 June 2005. 8 November 2023.
  4. Web site: Vidal. John. 17 February 2018. Mexico's Zapatista rebels, 24 years on and defiant in mountain strongholds. The Guardian. 1756-3224. 8 November 2023.
  5. Web site: Innes. Erin. 17 February 2018. "We don't need permission to be free": Women Zapatistas and the "modernization" of NAFTA. Briarpatch. 0703-8968. 8 November 2023.
  6. Web site: Iker. Reyes Godelmann. 30 July 2014. The Zapatista Movement: The Fight for Indigenous Rights in Mexico. 2020-06-16. Australian Institute of International Affairs.
  7. News: Villegas. Paulina. 2017-08-26. In a Mexico 'Tired of Violence,' Zapatista Rebels Venture Into Politics. en-US. The New York Times. 2020-05-07. 0362-4331.
  8. Book: Gloria Muñóz Ramírez . 20 y 10 el fuego y la palabra. . 2003 . Revista Rebeldía y Demos, Desarrollo de Medios, S.A. de C.V. La Jornada Ediciones..
  9. Web site: Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos. Chiapas: La treceava estela. Cartas y comunicados del EZLN. July 2003.
  10. Web site: Communique from the EZLN's CCRI-CG And, We Broke the Siege. Subcomandante Insurgente. Moisés. 17 August 2019. Enlace Zapatista. 8 November 2023.
  11. Web site: Insurgent Subcommander Moisés . 2023-11-13 . Ninth Part: The new structure of Zapastista Autonomy . 2023-11-13 . Enlace Zapatista .
  12. Book: Muñóz Ramírez, Gloria. 2008. The Fire and the Word: A History of the Zapatista Movement. 22. Laura. Carlsen. Alejandro. Reyes Arias. City Lights. 978-0-87286-488-7. 2007052477.
  13. Book: Grubačić. Andrej. Andrej Grubačić. O'Hearn. Denis. Denis O'Hearn. 2016. Zapatistas. Living at the Edges of Capitalism: Adventures in Exile and Mutual Aid. University of California Press. 9780520287303. 2015036704. 10.1525/j.ctv1xxx8z. 129.
  14. Web site: Los Aguascalientes: Centros Culturales en el Corazón de la Selva Lacandona y en las montañas y rincones zapatistas.. itzcuintli rebelde. 2018-09-14.
  15. Hidalgo. Onésimo. Castro Soto. Gustavo. Cambios en el EZLN. Chiapas al Día. Boletín de CIEPAC. 2003. San Cristóbal de las Casas.
  16. Oikonomakis. Leonidas. 2019-08-19. Zapatistas announce major expansion of autonomous territories. ROAR Magazine. 2468-1695. 8 November 2023.
  17. Andrew. Flood. The Zapatistas, anarchism and 'Direct democracy'. Anarcho-Syndicalist Review. 27. 1999. 1069-1995.
  18. Book: Barmeyer, Niels. 2009. Who is Running the Show? The Workings of Zapatista Government. Developing Zapatista Autonomy: Conflict and NGO Involvement in Rebel Chiapas. limited. University of New Mexico Press. 89. 978-0-8263-4584-4. 2008045276.
  19. Book: Zibechi, Raúl. 2012. Territories in Resistance: A Cartography of Latin American Social Movements. AK Press. 978-1-84935-107-2. 2012937110. 132.
  20. Web site: Health and Autonomy: the case of Chiapas. J.H.. Cuevas. March 2007. World Health Organization. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20211123184551/https://www.who.int/social_determinants/resources/csdh_media/autonomy_mexico_2007_en.pdf. 2021-11-23.
  21. Web site: Castellanos. Laura. 2014-01-04. El suicidio ronda en San Andrés. 2020-06-16. El Universal. es.
  22. Book: Warfield, Cian. October 2014. Understanding Zapatista Autonomy: An Analysis of Healthcare and Education. en.
  23. Web site: Alex. Contreras Baspineiro. 2004-05-08. The Zapatistas Reject the War on Drugs . 2022-12-24 . Narco News.
  24. Web site: Ryan. Mallett-Outtrim. 2016-08-13. Two decades on: A glimpse inside the Zapatista's capital, Oventic. Links: International Journal of Socialist Renewal. 2023-05-01.
  25. Book: Ryan, Ramor. 2011. Zapatista Spring: Anatomy of a Rebel Water Project & the Lessons of International Solidarity. limited. AK Press. 978-1-84935-072-3. 2011925323.
  26. Web site: Mexico's Zapatista rebel movement says it is dissolving its 'autonomous municipalities'. Édgar H.. Clemente. Associated Press. 6 November 2023. 8 November 2023.
  27. Web site: Elio . Henríquez . 2023-11-05 . Anuncia EZLN desaparición de sus municipios autónomos . 2023-11-09 . . es.
  28. Web site: Flores . Miguel . 2023-11-07 . Así fue como el EZLN perdió el control de municipios autónomos en Chiapas frente al CJNG y el Cártel de Sinaloa . 2023-11-09 . . es.
  29. Web site: Ferri . Pablo . 2023-11-06 . El EZLN anuncia la desaparición de su estructura civil: "Las ciudades de Chiapas están en caos" . 2023-11-09 . . es.