Zapatistas

[dmcauliffe09]

Can anyone offer me any information about the Zapatistas (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, EZLN)? I'm curious as to what their political stance is and how they are generally viewed by other nations--for example, are they viewed as evil terrorists like the FARC? Anything that can help...thanks...:D

[Coggeh]

Can anyone offer me any information about the Zapatistas (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, EZLN)? I'm curious as to what their political stance is and how they are generally viewed by other nations--for example, are they viewed as evil terrorists like the FARC? Anything that can help...thanks...:D
Well the ELZN are not widely seen a terrorists outside maybe the Mexican government . The zapatista's would be seen by some as anarchists but mainly their an anti-neoliberal, exploitation and capitalism indigenious movement .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zapatista_Army_of_National_Liberation

Their quite an admirable group and I don't think any rationale person would call them terrorists as their is just no records of any kidnappings , drugs , bomb attacks on civil areas unlike FARC (Not sure if FARC engage in civil bombs attacks)

[el_chavista]

Here are two more links: http://enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx/ (http://zeztainternazional.ezln.org.mx/)
http://zeztainternazional.ezln.org.mx/ The only thing you can argue against them is their regionalism and lack of some Marxist ideology. For instance, they didn't support the popular uprising against the electoral fraud of 2006 (so they took Fox's side, consciously or not).

[Invincible Summer]

Well the ELZN are not widely seen a terrorists outside maybe the Mexican government . The zapatista's would be seen by some as anarchists but mainly their an anti-neoliberal, exploitation and capitalism indigenious movement .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zapatista_Army_of_National_Liberation

Their quite an admirable group and I don't think any rationale person would call them terrorists as their is just no records of any kidnappings , drugs , bomb attacks on civil areas unlike FARC (Not sure if FARC engage in civil bombs attacks)

If I remember correctly, FARC has admitted to using improvised explosive devices (IEDs as the US military calls them) made out of propane tanks and stuff against targets, some of which are near civilian areas. They do try to balance this by saying that they are not targetting civilians directly.

What's admirable about the EZLN is that (to my knowledge) are armed, but do not use the weapons unless attacked.

[KurtFF8]

EZLN is a group that has maintained respect from various leftists across the ideological spectrum. They, as far as I know, don't get into too many ideological battles and maintain the working class struggle as the priority. I could be wrong about this and have a better picture of them in my head than what the case is but that's what I understand. Perhaps someone with more knowledge could come help clear this up.

[OneNamedNameLess]

Thanks for the links and stuff guys.

I have been trying to find out more about the Zapatistas for a while and a little search revealed that the question had been asked just yesterday :)

[Oneironaut]

Lots of good information already on this thread. I may add a rumor that is going around Mexico saying Subcomandante Marcos is a Jesuit... food for thought I guess. I must stress that it is merely a rumor.

[Delirium]

The Fire and the Word,A History of the Zapatista Movement is really good its probably at the library. Also, Sixth declaration of the lacadon jungle is also a good read. That one i'm sure is online.

[ComradeOm]

Also, Sixth declaration of the lacadon jungle is also a good read. That one i'm sure is online.It can be found here (http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/auto/selva6.html). As to whether or not it is a good read probably depends on your opinion of EZLN's "path of political struggle through peaceful initiative"

[Marion]

Here's an article on the EZLN I wrote a while ago (http://libcom.org/library/the-sixth-declaration-zapatistas-nationalism-state) - I'd probably change a bit of it now, but not the general position taken. There's a critique of the article by someone else at the bottom that's of interest too.

[Delirium]

http://www.humboldt.edu/~mc92/accionzapatista/resources.html (http://www.humboldt.edu/%7Emc92/accionzapatista/resources.html)

accion zapatista