,! ,ZAPATI/A CONTRIBUTION TO ! NEW OPPOSITION 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,&REW ,FLOOD 

,TEXT 3 

,*IAPAS IS ! POORE/ /ATE 9 ,MEXICO1 BORD]+ ON ! ,GUATEMALAN BORD]1 ! >EA CONSI/+ ( ! ,*IAPAS HI<L&S & ! ,LAC&ON JUNGLE HAS ALMO/ NO 9FRA/RUCTURE OR S]VICES \TSIDE ( ?OSE TO FACILITATE T\RI/S4 ,MANY ( ! COMMUNITIES H]E >E EXTREMELY ISOLAT$1 9DE$ IT WAS ONLY 9 ! #a#i#f'S ?AT ! ',LAC&ON ,9DIANS' MADE CONTACT ) ! \TSIDE WORLD4 ,! POPULATION ( ! HI<L&S & JUNGLE >E #i#i.0 9DIG5\S LIV+ 9 TRADITIONAL COMMUNITIES ) COLLECTIVE L& KN[N AS EEJIDO4 

,!RE IS EXTREME POV]TY 9 ?IS >EA1 ITS E/IMAT$ ?AT #a#i1 PEOPLE 7MO/LY *ILDR57 DIE EV]Y YE> FROM PREV5TABLE DISEASES = 9/ANCE4 ,!RE IS ALSO CONSID]ABLE WEAL?1 ! MO/ F]TILE >EAS1 ! CANYON BASES W]E SEIZ$ FROM ! 9DIG5\S PEOPLE BY L>GE ,SPANI% DESC5T RAN*]S1 DISPLAC+ ! 9DIG5\S TO ! LESS F]TILE HILLSIDES & BECAUSE ( ?IS LESS F]TILE L& !RE=E =C+ !M TO WORK = ! RAN*]S 9 ORD] TO SURVIVE4 ,?IS SET UP MEANS A V]Y EXTREME RACISM EXI/S ON ! P>T ( ! RAN*]S & %OP [N]S T[>DS ! 9DIG5\S PEOPLE1 A RACISM ?AT 9 FACT D5IES !M !IR HUMANITY & SEES !M AS PACK ANIMALS4 

,! OIL BOOM ( ! #a#i#g'S & ! SUBSEQU5T DEBT CRISIS ( ! #a#i#h'S ALSO HAD ! EFFECT ( TAK+ SOME PEOPLE (F ! L& & 9TO 9DU/RY ONLY TO =CE !M BACK ONTO ! L& :5 WORK VANI%$4 ,AL?\< ! HI<L& REGION HAS COMMUNITIES ?AT HAVE BE5 !RE = CONSID]ABLE P]IODS ( TIME1 SOME P]HAPS PR$AT+ ! CONQUE/ ?OSE ( ! JUNGLE />T$ FROM ! #a#i#e'S ON AS L& %ORTAGES =C$ PEOPLE TO TRY & WORK ?IS 9F]TILE L& 9 SUCCESSIVE WAVES ( COLONIZATION4 ,SIGNIFICANTLY !SE COLONIZ]S 9CLUD$ 9DIG5\S PEOPLE FROM O!R P>TS ( ,MEXICO & RETURN+ OIL WORK]S :O HAD (T5 BE5 9VOLV$ 9 /RUGGLES 9 O!R P>TS ( ,MEXICO4 ,! #a#i#g'S & #h'S SAW NUM]\S /RUGGLES = JU/ICE ?R\< PEASANTS UNIONS BUT 9 ,*IAPAS ! LIMIT$ DEMOCRATIC RI<TS ?AT EXI/ 9 ,MEXICO CITY >E NOT F\ND1 SU* MOVEM5TS W]E MET ) FI]CE OPPRESSION UP TO & 9CLUD+ ! ASSASS9ATION ( ! MA9 FIGURES 9 !M 

,9 FACT :5 Y\ CONSID] ! FACTORS \TL9$ ABOVE1 ! GR9D+ POV]TY1 ! RACISM1 ! L& %ORTAGES & ! REPRESSION ( PEACEFUL MASS MOVEM5TS ! EM]G5CE ( ! ,E,Z,L,N 9 #aiid COMES AS NO SURPRISE4 ,EV]Y O!R >EA ( ,LAT9 ,AM]ICA ?AT HAS SUITABLE T]RA9 & ! SAME SITUATION HAS SE5 ! EM]G5CE ( AT LEA/ ONE >M$ MOVEM5T4 ,I DON'T 9T5D TO GO 9TO DETAIL ( ! MILIT>Y HI/ORY ( ?IS RIS+1 SUFFICE TO SAY ?AT ! /RATEGY ( ! ,ZAPATI/AS HAS BE5 NOT TO TRY TO MILIT>ILY DEFEAT ! ,MEXICAN >MY BUT RA!R TO USE >M$ /RUGGLE TO HI<LI<T !IR PLI<T & CREATE A SPACE 9 :I* L& SEIZURES & O!R =MS ( MASS /RUGGLE CAN TAKE PLACE4 

,:AT ,I'M GO+ TO FOCUS ON IS :AT CAN BE LE>N$ FROM ! /RUGGLE ( ! ,E,Z,L,N & 9DE$ FROM ! 9T]NATIONAL SOLID>ITY >\ND IT4 ,9 MANY WAYS ?IS CROSSES OV] ) ! DISCUSSION WE HAVE HAD 9 REC5T MEET+S AB\T ! *ANG+ NATURE ( CAPITALISM & ! WAY 9 :I* ITS LATE/ PHASE1 ,NEOLIB]ALISM HAS ?R[N UP A WIDE RANGE ( PROBLEMS 9 FI<T+ = LOCAL RE=MS4 

,! FIR/ ?+ ?AT HAS TO BE SAID AB\T ! ,ZAPATI/AS IS ?AT !Y >E NOT 9 ANY S5SE AN>*I/4 ,IT IS TRUE ?AT !Y ACKN[L$GE ?AT ! ,MEXICAN AN>*ISM ( ,MAGNON IS 9CLUD$ 9 !IR !ORETICAL ANALYSIS & !Y HAVE ADOPT$ MANY ( ! PO9TS = :I* ! ORIG9AL ,ZAPATI/AS HAVE BE5 CALL$ AN>*I/ BUT LIKE !M IT IS A LABEL !Y HAVE NOT *OS5 = !MSELVES & ALSO LIKE !M ! LIB]T>IAN ASPECTS ( !IR POLITICS DOES COME 9TO CONFLICT ) O!R PRON\NCEM5TS 9 P>TICUL> NATIONALISM & AN 9CONSI/5T APPROA* TO DECISION MAK+4 

,BEYOND ?IS CRITIQUE ! ,ZAPATI/AS >E MAK+ A V]Y SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO ! REBIR? ( ! REVOLUTION>Y MOVEM5T & ! =M 9 :I* IT IS REEM]G+4 ,& ITS IMPORTANT TO UND]/& FROM ! \TSET ?AT ?IS CONTRIBUTION IS NOT M]ELY ON A ROMANTIC ATTA*M5T TO >M$ GR\PS 7AL?\< !RE >E ELEM5TS ( ?IS 9 IT71 ! ,E,P,R 9 ,MEXICO OR ! ,M,R,T,A 9 ,P]U HAVE REC5TLY FAIL$ TO G5]ATE ANY?+ LIKE ! SAME SORT ( SOLID>ITY EI!R NATIONALLY OR 9T]NATIONALLY4 ,! ATT5TION ! ,ZAPATI/AS >E GETT+ CAN ONLY BE EXPLA9$ 9 AN ATTRACTION TO !IR POLITICS4 

#aiid 9 MANY WAYS M>KS ! />T ( AN 9T]NATIONAL TURN >\ND = ! LEFT4 ,! DECADE ?AT PREC$$ IT WAS M>K$ UP ACTUAL DEFEATS LIKE ! ,BRITI% ,M9]S /RIKE & IDEOLOGICAL DEFEATS 9 ! =M ( ! COLLAPSE ( SOCIAL DEMOCRACY1 NATIONAL LIB]ATION & ! ,SOVIET BLOCK4 ,IT IS EASY = US TO TAKE A SMUG 'TOLD Y\ SO' ATTITUDE TO !SE IDEOLOGICAL DEFEATS BUT AT ! SAME TIME WE DO RECOGNIZE ! MASSIVE DEMORALIZATION ?IS HAD ON ! LEFT 9T]NATIONALLY4 ,BY ! />T ( ! #a#i#i'S NOT ONLY WAS CAPITALISM LOOK+ UN-OPPOS$ TO MANY PEOPLE BUT IT WAS APP>5T ?AT IT WAS 9 A NEW & MORE BRUTAL PHASE TYPIFI$ BY ! MASS DI/RUCTION ( ,IRAQ DUR+ ! ,GULF ,W> BUT ALSO VISIBLE 9 ! SMA%+ ( SOCIAL S]VICES & ! RISE ( RACISM ALL OV] ,EUROPE4 

,! ,ZAPATI/A UPRIS+ & MORE IMPORTANTLY ! IDEAS BEH9D IT BECAME ! FIR/ HI<LY VISIBLE SUGGE/ION ?AT 9 FACT O!R WAYS EXI/$4 ,! ,ZAPATI/AS DID NOT TRY & IGNORE ! FAIL+S ( ! ,LAT9 ,AM]ICAN NATIONAL LIB]ATION MOVEM5TS NOR DID IT TRY TO DEAL ) !M BY A MOVE T[>DS M>KET SOCIALISM4 ,RA!R IT CLAIM$ TO HAVE LE>N$ FROM !M ?AT A NATIONAL LIB]ATION PROJECT BAS$ ON SEIZ+ /ATE P[] C\LD NOT SUCCE$ ON ! ONE H&1 ON ! O!R A NEGOTIAT$ COMPROMISE BETWE5 ! GORILLA LEAD]%IP & ! /ATE ALSO (F]$ NO?+4 ,ALONGSIDE ?IS H[EV] W]E ! MORE CONV5TIONAL DEM&S ( A GOV]NM5T ?AT W\LD REPRES5T ! PEOPLE1 AN EXAMPLE ( ! CONTRADICTION ,I REF]R$ TO E>LI]4 

,TO A L>GE EXT5T ! IMPORTANCE ( ! ,ZAPATI/AS IS NOT SO MU* :AT !Y REALLY MEAN OR :AT !Y REALLY /& = BUT RA!R H[ :AT !Y SAY HAS BE5 9T]PRET$ BY ! SOLID>ITY GR\PS4 ,!Y HAVE NOT SPOK5 ) ONE VOICE1 9DE$ ! ACC\NTS !Y GIVE ( !IR [N DEVELOPM5T S9CE ! #a#i#hS AS WELL AS ! KN[L$GE WE HAVE ( 9T]NAL DISAGREEM5TS TODAY SUGGE/ ?AT ! J\RNEY FROM ,MAOISM HAS BE5 DIFFICULT & IS NOT YET COMPLETE4 ,9 T]MS ( ! LEAD]%IP !RE CLE>LY IS A SPECTRUM ?AT RUNS FROM MORE OR LESS UNRECON/RUCT$ ,MAOI/S TO SELF DEF9$ AN>*I/S4 ,BUT SPECULATION AB\T ! LEAD]%IP MISSES ! PO9T ( :AT ! ,ZAPATI/AS >E AB\T 7AL?\< ITS GOOD GOSSIP TO 9DULGE 974 

,ON ! GR\ND WE N[ UND]/& H[ ! DECISION MAK+ PROCESS WORKS 9 ! ,ZAPATI/A COMMUNITIES4 ,& H]E ,I BELIEVE 9 T]MS ( ! CIVILIAN DECISION MAK+ /RUCTURE WE SEE A PRACTICE COMPATIBLE ) AN>*ISM4 

,! ,ZAPATI/A COMMUNITIES HOLD WEEKLY ASSEMBLIES AT :I* EA* & EV]Y ISSUE 9 ?AT COMMUNITY IS DEBAT$4 ,!SE ASSEMBLIES >E CONDUC$ 9 ONE ( ! FIVE LOCAL LANGUAGES :I* MAKES UND]/&+ ! EXACT NATURE ( DEBATE DIFFICULT BUT HAV+ SE5 SEV]AL REPORTS ON !M & TALK+ TO PEOPLE :O HAVE SAT 9 ON !M A FEW OBS]VATIONS CAN BE MADE4 ,FIR/LY EV]YONE HAS ! RI<T TO SPEAK & VOTE1 9CLUD+ ! *ILDR51 ?IS IS EXTREMELY SIGNIFICANT 9 :AT IS TRADITIONALLY A V]Y PA?RICAL SOCIETY :]E WOM5 >E VOICELESS4 ,SECONDLY !RE IS A REAL EF=T TO MAKE DECISIONS BY CONS5SUS :]E POSSIBLE4 ,?IRDLY !SE MEET+S S5D A DELEGATE TO ! ,C,C,G,I1 ! DELEGATES HAVE BE5 OBS]V$ SITT+ ?R\< !SE MEET+S MAK+ COPI\S NOTES ON EV]Y?+ ?AT IS BE+ SAID1 UN=TUNATELY ,I HAVE NOT SUCCE$$ 9 F9D+ \T H[ DELEGATES >E SELECT$ & H[ RECALL FUNCTIONS4 ,! G5]AL IMPRESSION PEOPLE HAVE IS ?AT ! DELEGATES FULFILL AN ADM9I/RATIVE ROLE & NOT A DECISION MAK+ ONE1 RECALL ME*ANISMS HAVE BE5 REF]R$ TO 9 9T]VIEWS ) ,ZAPATI/A COMBATANTS4 

,M>COS REF]S TO ?IS PROCESS 9 ! 9T]VIEW 9 ! PAMPHLET WE HOPE TO PUBLI% SOON :5 HE SAYS 

0,9 ANY MOM5T1 IF Y\ HOLD A POSITION 9 ! COMMUNITY 7FIR/1 ! COMMUNITY HAS TO HAVE APPO9T$ Y\ 9DEP5D5T ( Y\R POLITICAL AFFILIATION71 ! COMMUNITY CAN REMOVE Y\4 ,!RE ISN'T A FIX$ T]M ?AT Y\ HAVE TO COMPLETE4 ,! MOM5T ?AT ! COMMUNITY BEG9S TO SEE ?AT Y\ >E FAIL+ 9 Y\R DUTIES1 ?AT Y\ >E HAV+ PROBLEMS1 !Y SIT Y\ D[N 9 FRONT ( ! COMMUNITY & !Y BEG9 TO TELL Y\ :AT Y\ HAVE DONE WRONG4 ,Y\ DEF5D Y\RSELF & F9ALLY ! COMMUNITY1 ! COLLECTIVE1 ! MAJORITY DECIDES :AT !Y >E GO+ TO DO ) Y\4 ,EV5TUALLY1 Y\ WILL HAVE TO LEAVE Y\R POSITION & ANO!R WILL TAKE UP Y\R RESPONSIBILITIES0 

,?IS PROCESS ( DECISION MAK+ CAN BE QUITE PROTRACT$ ! DECISION TO PULL \T ( ! PEACE TALKS LA/ ,AUGU/ = 9/ANCE WAS ONLY F9ALIZ$ AFT] TWO WEEKS ( DEBATE4 ,?IS DECISION MAK+ PROCESS ( ! ,E,Z,L,N IS ANO!R ( !IR MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS4 ,L59I/S FREQU5TLY >GUE ?AT SU* A PROCESS IS UNWORKABLE 9 A CRISIS SITUATION1 ?AT A TRU/$ POLITICAL LEAD]%IP IS NECESS>Y TO H&LE ! NE$ TO MAKE FA/ DECISIONS1 9 %ORT :ATEV] ! !ORETICAL RI<TS & WRONGS ( DELEGATE DECISION MAK+ IT IS NOT PRACTICAL 9 ! 'REAL WORLD'4 ,! EXI/5CE ( SU* A PROCESS 9 ! MOD]N WORLD ON A MASS SCALE 9 :AT >E ! EXTREMELY DIFFICULT CIRCUM/ANCES ( W> ON ! ONE H& & A COMPLETE LACK ( EASE ( COMMUNICATION 9 ! =M ( PHONES OR MOVEM5T 9 ! =M ( ROADS KNOCKS ?AT ON ! HEAD4 

,BUT ABOVE ALL ELSE ! REAL CONTRIBUTION ( ! ,ZAPATI/AS IS ! 9T] ACTION ?AT HAS TAK5 PLACE ) ! SOLID>ITY GR\PS4 ,?IS 9T]ACTION HAS BE5 ON TWO LEVELS1 FIR/LY ! ,ZAPATI/AS HAVE OP5$ UP AN ALT]NATIVE DEBATE ON ! FAIL+S ( ',M>XISM' ?AT PROVIDES ANSW]S QUITE DIFF]5T FROM ! PRO-M>KET ONES ?AT MO/ ,M>XI/S HAVE PREF]R$4 ,TO A L>GE EXT5T !SE ANSW]S >E ! ONE AN>*I/S HAVE >GU$ ALL ALONG & SO SOLID>ITY ) ! ,E,Z,L,N HAS BECOME A PA? BY :I* ,M>XI/S >E BECOM+ AN>*I/S4 ,I USE ,M>XI/S H]E 9 A V]Y1 V]Y WIDE S5SE1 9CLUD+ ! 'LEFT' 9 ! V>I\S NATIONAL LIB]ATION MOVEM5TS 9 ?AT CATEGORY4 

,SECONDLY ! FACT ?AT ! ,ZAPATI/AS HAVE EMPHASIZ$ ! NE$ = A GLOBAL RESPONSE HAS RESULT$ 9 ! CREATION ( A GLOBAL NETWORK AGA9/ NEOLIB]ALISM4 ,! MO/ EXTREME MANIFE/ATION ( ?IS NETWORK WAS ( C\RSE LA/ YE>S GA!R+ '= HUMANITY & AGA9/ NEOLIB]ALISM' 9 ,*IAPAS4 ,?IS NETWORK IS FRAGILE1 9DE$ ! SECOND MEET+ TO BE HELD 9 ,SPA9 ?IS ,JULY WILL BE ! FIR/ REAL TE/ ( IT1 CAN IT SURVIVE ONCE IT LOSES ! ALLURE ( ITS EXOTIC LOCATION4 ,E>LY 9DICATIONS W\LD SUGGE/ ! ,SPANI% GA!R+ WILL ATTRACT AT LEA/ AS MANY AS ! ,MEXICAN GA!R+4 ,BUT ! C5TRAL IMPORTANCE ( ! GA!R+ IS ?AT IT IS CREAT+ A NEW TRADITION ( 9T]NATIONAL SOLID>ITY4 

,9 ! PA/ ?IS TRADITION HAS FOCUS$ ON ORGANIZATIONAL SOLID>ITY1 ! #a/1 #bND1 #cRD & #d? 9T]NATIONALS W]E ALL BODIES :I* !ORETICALLY CONSI/$ ( MEMB] POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS1 ONE 9 EA* C\NTRY4 ,LIKEWISE ! ,I,W,A-,A,I,T WORKS ON ! SAME MODEL4 ,ANYONE :O HAS FOLL[$ ! WAY ! ,I,W,A HAS BE5 TE>+ ITSELF AP>T 9 REC5T YE>S AS NATIONAL SPLITS TURN 9TO 9T]NATIONAL PURGES CANNOT BUT BE AW>E ( ! POT5TIALLY DE/RUCTIVE & VANGU>DI/ NATURE ( SU* A ME?OD ( ORGANIZATION EV5 :]E IT IS BAS$ ON AN AN>*I/ !ORY4 ,O!R =MS ( 9T]NATIONAL ORGANIZATION HAVE EXI/$1 TRADE UNION F$]ATIONS OR >\ND SPECIFIC ISSUES LIKE ANTI-AP>!ID4 ,BUT !SE HAVE EXI/$ ON ! BASIS ( S+LE ISSUES & COMMONLY EI!R AS UNCRITICAL SUPPORT GR\PS = A /RUGGLE 9 A P>TICUL> LOCATION OR AS A TOP D[N BODY4 

,! *ALL5GES WE HAVE EXPLOR$ 9 REC5T WEEKS ?R[N UP BY NEOLIB]ALISM & 9DE$ ! GREAT] *ALL5GE ( ! FAILURE ( ! LEFT 9 ! #b? ,C5TURY REQUIRE NOT ONLY A NEW !ORETICAL UND]/&+ ( H[ /RUGGLE CAN BE CONDUC$ BUT ALSO REAL WORLD EXAMPLES ( ?IS ACTUALLY HAPP5+4 ,ALL ( US >E AW>E ( H[ FRUITLESS IT CAN BE TO >GUE AB\T ! !ORETICAL POSSIBILITY ( SOLID>ITY W9N+ 9 A P>TICUL> SITUATION BUT H[ EASY ?AT >GUM5T IS IF WE PO9T TO AN ACTUAL EXAMPLE1 LIKE ! ,DECEMB] /RIKES 9 ,FRANCE OR CLOS] TO HOME ! ,ANTI-,WAT] *>GES CAMPAIGN4 ,:AT IS HAPP5+ >\ND ! ,ZAPATI/AS IS BUT ONE ASPECT BUT ,I BELIEVE AN IMPORTANT ONE ( CREAT+ A NEW TRADITION ( WORK+ CLASS /RUGGLE1 ONE DEF9$ >\ND AN>*I/ PRACTICE4 

,FROM 3 ,!,AN>*I/,LIBR>Y4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,JANU>Y #b#c1 #bba 3 ,! ,ZAPATI/A CONTRIBUTION TO ! NEW OPPOSITION -- ,ADD$4 
,JANU>Y #f1 #bbb 3 ,! ,ZAPATI/A CONTRIBUTION TO ! NEW OPPOSITION -- ,UPDAT$4 

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