The Zapatistas
An uprising that began the day the trade deal did
See it on the timeline →In depth
Chiapas is Mexico's southernmost state, with the country's largest Indigenous population and its deepest poverty. The Zapatistas are often described as the first insurgency to use the internet strategically, and the international attention is a principal reason the Mexican army halted its offensive after twelve days. The movement took its name from Emiliano Zapata and demanded what the revolution had promised without delivering in Chiapas. The autonomous municipalities persist, and have built their own schools and health services outside the state system.
For children
On the first of January 1994, the day NAFTA came into force, an Indigenous movement in Chiapas took control of several towns. They demanded land, autonomy and respect for Indigenous rights, and they used the internet to reach the outside world.
Sources
- Womack, Rebellion in Chiapas (1999)
- EZLN: Primera Declaración de la Selva Lacandona (1994)
Connects to
Report a correction
Found something that does not hold? Tell us — sources help, but are not required.
Report a correctionPart of Terra Saga — the story of Earth on a timeline. terrasaga.org ·