Chiapas/National: Roundtable Discussion “To Watch, to Listen, to Speak: Forbidden to Think?”

Roundtable discussion “To watch, to listen, to speak. Forbidden to think?”

From April 15th to 25th, the roundtable discussion “To watch, to listen, to speak: Forbidden to think?”, convened by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), was held at the Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Indigenous Integral Training Center -University of the Earth (Cideci-Unitierra in its Spanish acronym) in San Cristobal de Las Casas. Academics, artists and activists participated in this event whose main objective was to take stock of the campaign of Maria de Jesus Patricio Martinez, “Marichuy”, in her aspiration to be an independent candidate for the presidency of the Republic in the next elections in July as spokesperson for the Indigenous Council of Government (CIG in its Spanish acronym).

Subcomandante Galeano stated that, contrary to the criticism that this initiative would divide the vote of the left or that it was an instrument of former president Carlos Salinas de Gortari (1988-1994), “if Marichuy did something, it was to lay bare the Mexican political electoral system in which illegality is rewarded with candidacies like those of Jaime Rodriguez ‘El Bronco’ and Margarita Zavala, who, even with accumulated false signatures, were granted registration”. He asserted that, “If everything is a game to divide the vote, why did the system not move to ensure registration? The truth is that there is no place for Marichuy, there is no place for the original peoples.” On the contrary, “those who violated all laws were left,” said Galeano. He stressed that, “The result of your mobilization, Marichuy, showed that the INE, is a” job placement agency.”

In a subsequent intervention, Subcomandante Galeano also warned that the economic powers of the capitalist system will do everything possible to stop the victory of presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. “We say that now the hydra is mad, goes for everything and everyone (…) Capital goes for everything and will not allow Lulas, Dilmas, Kirchner, Correas, Evos, or Lopez Obrador, or whatever you call anything that offers respite.”

On another note, “Marichuy” explained that, “There is a lot to do for this Mexico. They are waiting for us. We are going to have a meeting of councilors, and in this construction that awaits us we are many. We will not sit around thinking: ‘we did not do it’. We must continue to strengthen the work that is already being done by the peoples and communities.”

In this regard, Subcomandante Galeano affirmed that they will unconditionally support what the CIG decides, even if at a certain moment they decide to join a political party: “We support them unconditionally. What they decide. We will wait for you (for the consultation to take place) and listen in silence and respect (…) We can understand your reasons and we will support you. They will not receive attacks and criticism from us.” Marichuy and several other participants stressed, however, that the objective of their movement is the construction of autonomies in the different communities that join, “autonomies of government and in each of their development processes.” Galeano confirmed that, “this has nothing to do with the quest for power. For the EZLN this is the most important political initiative since the beginning of the war.”

Within the framework of the event, Dr. Pablo Gonzalez Casanova, 96 years old, was appointed commander Pablo Contreras of the Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (CCRI-EZLN). Commander Tacho explained the decision underlining that “To be a Zapatista one has to work and he has worked for the life of our peoples. He has not tired, he has not sold out, he has not given up.” He noted that, “If things go well, the Zapatista is rewarded with more work. (…) The gift that we are going to give [to Pablo Casanova] is more work.”

For more information in Spanish:

Cobertura completa del evento (incluyendo audios) :

Sigan bailando porque la lucha sigue – Arranca el Conversatorio “Miradas, escuchas, palabras: ¿prohibido pensar?” con concierto musiquero (Radio zapatista, 16 de abril de 2018)

¿Cumplimos o no cumplimos? – Día 2, Conversatorio “Miradas, escuchas, palabras: ¿prohibido pensar?” (Radio zapatista, 17 de abril de 2018)

¿Revolución? ¿Reforma? ¿Lucha por la Vida? – Día 3, Conversatorio “Miradas, escuchas, palabras: ¿prohibido pensar?” (Radio zapatista, 18 de abril de 2018)

¿Y la posibilidad de que ganemos es casi nula? – Día 4, Conversatorio “Miradas, escuchas, palabras: ¿prohibido pensar?” (Radio zapatista, 19 de abril de 2018)

¿Y entonces, quiénes? – Día 5, Conversatorio “Miradas, escuchas, palabras: ¿prohibido pensar?” (Radio zapatista, 20 de abril de 2018)

¿Juntxs ante el colapso? – Día 6, Conversatorio “Miradas, escuchas, palabras: ¿prohibido pensar?” (Radio zapatista, 21 de abril de 2018)

¿Y cómo hablamos la verdad? – Día 7, Conversatorio “Miradas, escuchas, palabras: ¿prohibido pensar?” (Radio zapatista, 22 de abril de 2018)

¿Escucharnos para sentirnos? – Día 8, Conversatorio “Miradas, escuchas, palabras: ¿prohibido pensar?” (Radio zapatista, 23 de abril de 2018)

¿Heredar el deber y la memoria? – Día 9, Conversatorio “Miradas, escuchas, palabras: ¿prohibido pensar?” (Radio zapatista, 24 de abril de 2018)

¿Un nosotrxs sin México? – Día 10, Conversatorio “Miradas, escuchas, palabras: ¿prohibido pensar?” (Radio zapatista, 25 de abril de 2018)

El corazón está listo – Día 11, Conversatorio “Miradas, escuchas, palabras: ¿prohibido pensar?” (Radio zapatista, 26 de abril de 2018)

Cobertura en medios

“Los que violaron todas las leyes quedaron”: EZLN (Proceso, 16 de abril de 2018)

“Lo que Marichuy hizo fue exhibir, desnudar, el sistema político-electoral en México”: EZLN (Aristegui Noticias, 17 de abril de 2018)

Al tramposo lo premian, al justo (a Marichuy) lo castigan: EZLN; ya ven, ¿no que éramos de Salinas? (Sin Embargo, 17 de abril de 2018)

El sistema capitalista buscará frenar a AMLO, advierte el EZLN (Proceso, 19 de abril de 2018)

El EZLN apoyará a Marichuy y al CIG… aun si deciden sumarse a un partido político: subcomandante Galeano (Proceso, 20 de abril de 2018)

Pablo González Casanova, exrector de la UNAM, es nombrado comandante del EZLN (Proceso, 22 de abril de 2018)

González Casanova se convierte en el ‘comandante Pablo Contreras’ (La Jornada, 22 de abril de 2018) EZLN, “Marichuy, apoyo a los candidatos presidenciales”: o cómo los medios mutilan el mensaje (Regeneración Radio, 25 de abril de 2018)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Nacional : CNI convoca al “siguiente paso en la lucha” (17 de marzo de 2018)

Nacional: CNI denuncia ataque contra la caravana del CIG. (22 de enero de 2018)

Nacional: Marichuy critica trampas del INE a su candidatura (26 de octubre de 2018)

Nacional: Marychuy se registra como candidata independiente a la Presidencia de la República (18 de octubre de 2017)

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Chiapas/National: The Sixth Commission Convokes Roundtable Discussion “To Look, to Listen, to Speak: Forbidden to Think?”

Zapatista Caracol at Oventik (@SIPAZ archivos)

On March 20th, through a communiqué, the Sixth Commission of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) convoked the roundtable discussion “To Looks, to Listen and to Speak: Forbidden to Think?” to be held at the CIDECI-Unitierra facilities in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, from April 15th to 25th, in which “various people from the National Indigenous Congress, from the Indigenous Council of Government, from the arts, sciences, political activism, journalism and culture, will share with us what they see and hear” in the current pre-electoral context.

The address to register is: asistentesemillero@enlacezapatista.org.mx

For more information in Spanish:

La Comisión Sexta del Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional convoca al CONVERSATORIO (o semillero, según): “Miradas, Escuchas y Palabras: ¿Prohibido Pensar?” (Comunicado de la Comisión Sexta del EZLN, 20 de marzo de 2018)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Nacional : CNI convoca al “siguiente paso en la lucha”(17 de marzo de 2018)

Chiapas : 2do Encuentro del « ConCiencias por la Humanidad » convocado por el EZLN (4 de enero de 2018)

Chiapas: La Comisión Sexta del EZLN anuncia el programa de la gira del Concejo Indígena de Gobierno en Chiapas (18 de septiembre de 2017)

Chiapas: El EZLN anuncia nuevas convocatorias e invitaciones para 2017(24 de febrero de 2017)

National: CNI Calls for “the Next Step in the Struggle”

Marichuy, touring Chiapas (@SIPAZ)

In a statement published on March 16th, the National Indigenous Congress (CNI in its Spanish acronym) called for the “next step in the struggle”, recognizing that its candidate for the presidency in the 2018 elections failed to gather sufficient support signatures to obtain the registration before the National Electoral Institute. It acknowledged that “obtaining enough signatures would have allowed us to take advantage of this space to continue to reveal the suffering and struggle of indigenous peoples, as well as pointing out the criminal nature of the system, to echo the pain and rage that ooze throughout the whole national territory, and to promote organization, self-organization, resistance and rebellion.” However, it said: “We did not achieve it, but we must continue on our path looking for other ways, methods and means, with ingenuity, creativity and audacity, to achieve what we want.” And it appreciated that “this stage was characterized by involving more people and sectors, beyond the indigenous peoples and the CNI, in a civil and peaceful, inclusive struggle, with a just cause, with a horizon of radical transformation of the reality that we all suffer, with legal, legitimate and honest methods, and this is something that none of the members of the institutional political class can say.

In the new stage that is opening up and beyond the electoral context, the CNI proposes “an analysis and assessment that, as was the whole process, be collective, participatory, inclusive, honest and truthful”, sending analysis and evaluations to the email assessments@congresonacionalindigena.org. They also announced that “the civil society organization “For the Blossoming of the Peoples”, the National Indigenous Congress, the CIG and the Zapatista brothers, will invite all to a series of public activities open to those involved in the process, to follow up on this fight that, we know, has just begun.”

For more information in Spanish:

Convocatoria al siguiente paso en la lucha (CNI, 16 de marzo de 2018)

Llama CNI a nueva etapa de lucha política (La Jornada, 16 de marzo de 2018)

El CIG: los saldos de la irreverencia (La Jornada, 15 de marzo de 2018)

El Congreso Indígena no va con AMLO, aún con Marichuy fuera; “es un candidato más del sistema” (Sin Embargo, 26 de febrero de 2016)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Nacional: CNI denuncia ataque contra la caravana del CIG. (22 de enero de 2018)

Nacional: Marichuy critica trampas del INE a su candidatura (26 de octubre de 2018)

Nacional: Marychuy se registra como candidata independiente a la Presidencia de la República (18 de octubre de 2017)

Nacional / Chiapas: El CNI conforma su Concejo Indígena de Gobierno y elige a su vocera. (31 de mayo de 2017)

Chiapas: First International Gathering for Politics, Art, Sport and Culture for Women in Struggle

© pozol

On March 8th, 9th and 10th, the Gathering of Women in Struggle took place in the Caracol of Morelia, official municipality of Altamirano, convened by Zapatista women within the framework of International Women’s Day.

It is estimated that some 10,000 women from different Zapatista caracoles from the state of Chiapas arrived as well as women from 27 states of the Republic and from at least 34 countries in the world.

The inauguration speech was delivered by insurgent Erika, in which she asked all women of the world to continue with the struggle against patriarchy.

“On the night of Thursday the Zapatistas stopped the music and turned off the lights so that all the Caracol could see the candles that illuminated the place and that for a few moments remained lit to remember those who were killed or are no longer alive.

From eight o’clock in the morning of this Friday, the workshops and talks began, sessions where the Zapatistas arrived ready to learn, and those who did not carry their children in their arms, took their notebooks to collect the written word that is one of the most valuable belongings when it comes to communicating the philosophy of the Zapatista movement.

Along with the dance and the soccer or volleyball matches, the reflections were present and although the indigenous tradition has made women take precautions when speaking in public and with strangers, among themselves they comment on the exhibitions where they have seen the battles from other countries but also systematic violence against women ” (Cimacnocicias).

For more information in Spanish

En Chiapas, listo el Primer Encuentro Internacional “de mujeres que luchan’’ convocado por el EZLN, Proceso 7 de marzo de 2018

Inicia encuentro multicultural organizado por mujeres del EZLN, La Jornada, 8 de marzo de 2018

Clausuran el encuentro “mujeres que luchan” convocado por zapatistas, Chiapasparalelo, 11 de marzo de 2018

En el Caracol, rinden homenaje a mujeres asesinadas, cimacnoticias, 9 de marzo 2018

For more information from SIPAZ:

Chiapas : Mujeres de las Abejas se pronuncian contra los feminicidios y los asesinatos de defensoras de derechos humanos y de la Madre Tierra,10 de marzo 2018

Nacional/Chiapas: En el marco del Día Internacional para la Eliminación de la Violencia contra las Mujeres ,diciembre 1, 2017

Chiapas: Se acabó el Encuentro “L@s Zapatistas y las ConCiencias por la Humanidad”, y la segunda etapa del V Congreso Nacional Indígena, 12 de enero de 2017

Chiapas: Second Meeting of “ConSciences for Humanity” Organized by EZLN

Second sciences encounter “ConSciencias for Humanity” Photo @ SIPAZ

The second edition of the science festival “ConSciences for Humanity”, organized by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), took place from December 27th to 30th. The activities were carried out in the facilities of the CIDECI-UniTierra, in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas.

During those four days, scientists from different locations shared their knowledge and reflected with the 200 Zapatista students under the theme “Science Against the Wall” on subjects as diverse as agroecology, technology, genetics, education, beekeeping, mathematics, ancestral knowledge, women in science and the importance of the nixtamalization of corn.

The reflections focused on how a science can be used for the benefit of life in contrast to current science that is at the service of profit and power. The role of academics was discussed and strong criticisms were made of Mexican public policies that do not grant sufficient budgets or freedom for scientific research that is sustainable and for the benefit of the people.

Each day ended with the participation of the Sixth Commission, which convened the first international, political, artistic, sports and cultural meeting of women who fight from March 7th to 11th, 2018.

For more information in Spanish:

ConCiencias por la Humanidad 2017 – Día 1 (Seminarios CIDECI-Unitierra, 28 de diciembre de 2017)

ConCiencias por la Humanidad 2017 – Día 2 (Seminarios CIDECI-Unitierra, 29 de diciembre de 2017)

ConCiencias por la Humanidad 2017 – Día 3 (Seminarios CIDECI-Unitierra, 30 de diciembre de 2017)

ConCiencias por la Humanidad 2017 – Día 4 (audios, fotos, texto) (Seminarios CIDECI-Unitierra, 31 de diciembre de 2017)

Participación de la Comisión Sexta del día 27 de diciembre de 2017 en el ConCiencias por la Humanidad. SupGaleano. Depende (Enlace zapatista, 27 de diciembre de 2017)

Participación de la Comisión Sexta del día 28 de diciembre de 2017 en

el ConCiencias por la Humanidad

“TRUMP, LA NAVAJA DE OCKHAM, EL GATO DE SCHRODINGER Y EL GATO-PERRO”

SupGaleano (Enlace zapatista, 28 de diciembre de 2017)

Convocatoria al primer encuentro internacional, político, artístico, deportivo y cultural de mujeres que luchan (Enlace zapatista, 29 de diciembre de 2017)

Participación de la Comisión Sexta en la Clausura del ConCiencias por la Humanidad

“DEL CUADERNO DE APUNTES DEL GATO-PERRO”

SupGaleano (Enlace zapatista, 30 de diciembre de 2017)

For more information from SIAPZ:

Chiapas: inicio del el Encuentro “L@s Zapatistas y las ConCiencias por la Humanidad” y segunda etapa del V Congreso Nacional Indígena (29 de diciembre de 2016)

Chiapas: Se acabó el Encuentro “L@s Zapatistas y las ConCiencias por la Humanidad”, y la segunda etapa del V Congreso Nacional Indígena (12 de enero de 2017)

National: Marichuy Criticizes INE Traps to her Candidacy

Photo @ SIPAZ

On October 14th, Maria de Jesus Patricio Martinez, the candidate for the presidency of Mexico and spokesperson for the Indigenous Council of Government (CIG in its Spanish acronym) began a tour of the five Zapatista caracoles. During the tour, the spokesperson was accompanied by CIG councilors and a delegation from the National Indigenous Congress (CNI in its Spanish acronym).

The tour was in the context of gathering the support of citizens, the collection of 866,500 signatures, to be accepted as an independent candidate.

During the tour, in the different caracoles the spokesperson Marichuy was received by thousands of Zapatistas, organizations and civil society who waited for hours to see and listen to her and the councilors. After several talks by different speakers, each caracol held for a cultural event.

During and after the Marichuy tour and the civil association that promotes the candidacy denounced “a presumed sabotage to prevent it from reaching the number of signatures necessary and thus avoid its registration.”

According to the complaint of the CNI, “On October 18th, the INE website https://apoyociudadano.INE.mx was blocked for least five hours, during which time it was impossible to carry out any type of auxiliary registration operation or review the progress of signatures During the sessions and tours, access to telephones and the internet was blocked in the municipalities of Altamirano and Ocosingo, places where these services usually work well.”

For more information in Spanish:

PRONUNCIAMIENTO DE LA ASOCIACIÓN CIVIL “LLEGÓ LA HORA DEL FLORECIMIENTO DE LOS PUEBLOS” SOBRE SABOTAJES Y OBSTACULIZACIÓN EN LA OBTENCIÓN DEL APOYO CIUDADANO PARA MARIA DE JESÚS PATRICIO MARTÍNEZ. (Congreso Nacional Indígena, 23 de octubre de 2017)

Denuncian presunto sabotaje para impedir el registro de Marichuy como candidata independiente (Proceso, 24 de octubre de 2017)

México: Denuncian ataques para impedir candidatura de Marichuy (teleSUR tv, 25 octubre de 2017)

El sabotaje a “Marichuy” evidencia el poderoso interés para impedir que contienda en 2018: asociación (Sin Embargo, 25 de octubre de 2017)

For more information form SIPAZ:

Nacional: Marychuy se registra como candidata independiente a la Presidencia de la República (18 de octubre de 2017)

Nacional / Chiapas: El CNI conforma su Concejo Indígena de Gobierno y elige a su vocera. (SIPAZ, 31 de mayo de 2017)

National: Marychuy Registers as Independent Candidate for the Presidency of the Republic

Photo: @radiopozol

On October 7th, Maria de Jesus Patricio Martinez, Marichuy, registered as an independent candidate for the Presidency of the Republic in her role as spokeswoman for the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) and the Indigenous Council of Government (IGC). She announced that her campaign will be done with collective support, so she will not receive money from the National Electoral Institute (INE)

According to Milenio newspaper, the National Indigenous Council stated that “after the countless racist and classist acts, we have managed to fulfill all the requirements that the electoral law and the INE structure, built by the members of the institutional parties, impose to prevent that a person from below, a woman and indigenous, can aspire to the independent candidacy to the Presidency.”

La Jornada newspaper reported that she advanced some of the contents of her proposal explaining: “As a woman, as a mother, as a worker, I also tell you that we must fight against machismo.” She called for “organizing those pains and rages” of the population. “For them, the people below do not exist and we have to organize ourselves, to end this capitalist, patriarchal and racist system.”

It is worth remembering that in May 2017, the indigenous peoples of the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) formed an Indigenous Council of Government (IGC) and elected Marychuy in San Cristobal de Las Casas as spokesperson, stating at that time that she would be their independent candidate for the presidency of Mexico, with the support of the EZLN.

For more information in Spanish:

‘Marichuy’ se inscribe como aspirante independiente a la Presidencia. (La Jornada, 7 de octubre de 2017)

Marychuy llega a su registro ante el INE arropada por EZLN. (La Razón, 8 de octubre de 2017)

Indígenas eligen a su vocera y aspirante presidencial para 2018, ¿quién es y quién la respalda?. (Animal Político, 29 de mayo de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

Nacional / Chiapas: El CNI conforma su Concejo Indígena de Gobierno y elige a su vocera. (SIPAZ, 31 de mayo de 2017)

Nacional: “La ofensiva de arriba, ante el movimiento de abajo”, comunicado del CNI anuncia agudización de la represión. (SIPAZ, 17 de junio de 2017)

Chiapas : Allanamiento y robo de información a integrante de Semilla Digna, parte del CNI. (SIPAZ, 6 de agosto de 2017)