@Educa
On August 9th, 2003, the first five Zapatista Caracoles were born: La Realidad, Oventik, La Garrucha, Morelia and Roberto Barrios, as a response to the need for autonomy and organized community life after the betrayal by the government of the San Andres Accords.
“We have erected the Caracoles, we have built the houses of the Good Government Councils, and we have tried to explain a little about the changes (…) From now on, everything related to the Zapatista Rebel Autonomous Municipalities will be discussed by their authorities and by the Good Government Councils, with them it will also be necessary to deal with the issues of the autonomous municipalities such as projects, visits, cooperatives, conflicts, etc. The Zapatista Army of National Liberation cannot be the voice of whoever is in charge, that is, of the government, even if whoever is in charge commands obeying and is a good government.”
19 years later, there are now 16 Caracoles and 27 autonomous municipalities. “The process has been complex and its development has taken place in a problematic environment such as lack of resources, militarization, paramilitarization, counterinsurgency campaigns, harassment by criminals and drug trafficking, among other factors that frame their challenge to the Mexican State to build autonomy in deeds and recreate their right to their own rights.”
On this occasion, the celebration of the 19th anniversary, from the Metropolitan Anticapitalist and Antipatriarchal Coordination with the Indigenous Governing Council (CIG) an invitation was launched to the people of Mexico and the world to participate in the Virtual Brigade from August 7thto 9th “with the objective of vindicating the importance of the Autonomy, Resistance and Rebellion of our Zapatista peoples and communities, in the face of the dispossession of our Mother Earth and against the Capitalist War imposed by the Fourth Transformation.”
Likewise, groups adhering to the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle met this Sunday, August 7th, on the esplanade of the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City, where through various forms of art such as dance, poetry, music and photography, among others, “they reflected on the importance of the caracoles for Zapatista autonomy, the current situation of constant aggression against the communities and the way in which the Zapatista caracoles have inspired different movements and serve as an example of integral autonomy.”
Almost 39 years after the Zapatista uprising and on this 19th anniversary of the formation of the caracoles, it is worth highlighting the resistance of the Zapatista communities that continue their struggle despite the attacks they have been and continue to be subjected to.
“Here we are, we are Zapatistas. So that they would look at us, we covered our faces; to be named, we denied our name; we bet the present to have a future, and, to live, we die. We are Zapatistas, mostly indigenous with Mayan roots, and we do not sell out, we do not give up and we do not give in.”
“We are rebellion and resistance. We are one of many hammers that will break the walls, one of many winds that will sweep the earth, and one of many seeds from which other worlds will be born.” (Sub-commander Marcos, 2019)
For more information from Spanish:
Celebración del 19 aniversario del nacimiento de los caracoles Zapatistas.(Radio Zapatista 08 de agosto de 2022)
Autonomía contra viento y marea: 19 aniversario de los caracoles zapatistas (La Jornada 08 de agosto de 2022)
Con música y baile, caracoles zapatistas celebran en Bellas Artes su 19 aniversario (La Jornada 08 de agosto de 2022)
Caracoles del EZLN celebran 19 aniversario (Heraldo de Chiapas 08 de agosto de 2022)
Se cumplen 19 años de la conformación de Caracoles zapatistas (Educa 04 de agosto de 2022)
For more information from SIPAZ:
sipazen.wordpress.com 