From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The
Zapatista Army of National Liberation
(
EZLN
;
Spanish
:
Ejercito Zapatista de la Liberacion Nacional
) is a political and
militant group
based in ?Chiapas, the southernmost state of
Mexico
. Its members are called the
Zapatistas
. They advocate for
libertarian socialism
, environmental sustainability and indigenous rights.
It is led by the
indigenous people
of the Chiapas Mountains. The name
Zapatista
refers to
Emiliano Zapata
who was a leader of the
Mexican Revolution
of 1910. The group was formed in the 1980s and led a large rebellion in 1994. Where it captured a small region of Mexico and was granted control over it.
Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos
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Though the movement has many leaders, both women and men, Marcos has become the unofficial spokesperson for the movement. This is because he is very well educated, a good public speaker, and has written letters to and worked with writers and intellectuals from all over the world. He signs almost all of his letters with "Subcomandante Marcos, from the mountains of the southeast of Mexico." He is wearing a ski-mask in every picture and video of him and ski-masks have become a symbol of the EZLN in Mexico, as the majority of its supporters also wear them. Followers of the EZLN also paint murals of Marcos in his mask and Emiliano Zapata to show their support.
Rebel Autonomous Zapatista Municipalities
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Since 1994, the Zapatistas have been in control of a region in Southern Chiapas. The Zapatistas created a 'Council of Good Government' which is a
direct democracy
representing between 120,000 to 300,000 people. The economy is made up of a coordinated network of communal stores,
worker cooperatives
and family farms. Their autonomous government provides low-interest loans, free education and universal health care. The Zapatistas mainly produce corn, beans, coffee, bananas, sugar, cattle, chicken, pigs and clothing.
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The Mexican military has attacked communities several times with drones, infantry and helicopters.