Rev Left Radio The Mexican Revolution and The Zapatistas
Sep 18, 2017
Alexander Avina, an assistant professor of history at ASU, dives into the intricacies of the Mexican Revolution and Zapatismo. He discusses the impact of agrarian communities' struggles and key figures like Emiliano Zapata. The narrative explores the tragic betrayal and assassination of Zapata, emphasizing his legacy in modern peasant movements. Avina also highlights the Zapatista movement's fight for indigenous rights and grassroots democracy while addressing contemporary challenges faced by marginalized communities in Mexico.
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Zapata's Memory Became A Political Force
- Zapata's legacy forced post-revolutionary elites to acknowledge peasant political power and co-opt his image for legitimacy.
- Simultaneously, his radical memory inspired later insurgencies and agrarian movements throughout the 20th century.
Guerrilla Revival And State Repression
- Lucio Cabañas led the Party of the Poor guerrilla in Guerrero in the late 1960s and 70s, blending Zapatismo with Marxism and Cuban inspiration.
- The state crushed it brutally, with disappearances, torture and 'death flights'.
EZLN Emerged From Multiple Roots
- The modern EZLN (founded 1983) fused FLN insurgent roots, Chiapas agrarian struggles, and liberation theology networks.
- They launched the 1994 uprising timed against NAFTA and neoliberal rollback of agrarian rights.
