The EZLN was founded on November 17, 1983 in the Lacandón Jungle, in the municipality of Ocosingo.

By: Gilberto Morales | El Heraldo de Chiapas

Altamirano

The Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN, EjércitoZapatista de Liberación Nacional), announces a mobilization to celebrate its 39^th anniversary in the caracoles, autonomous municipalities and Good Government Juntas that exist in the state of Chiapas.

The EZLN was created on November 17, 1983 in the Lacandón Jungle, municipality of Ocosingo. According to them it was for the purpose of doing away with  the bad governments and announcing to the entire world  that millions of indigenous peoplein Mexico are being stepped on, mistreated, ignored, incarcerated by the government for many years.

A little more than ten years after its creation, they officially announced the armed uprising on January 1, 1994 in the municipal seats of de: Altamirano, Ocosingo, Palenque, Las Margaritas, Comitán, Rancho Nuevo, San Cristóbal de Las Casas and Oxchuc, among others and that for 3 consecutive days they confronted the Mexican Army in Rancho Nuevo, where various deaths are spoken of in both the rebel group and the Army, which never officially announced the number of dead.

For many years, the Zapatistas were recognized throughout the world for their struggle and until now the armed civilian group has lost strength militarily and Subcomandante Marcos now Galeano himself, for many years pointed out that they will no longer take up arms but  will continue to fight for the benefit of the indigenous population. In addition, in the past elections  María de Jesús Patricio Martínez, known as Marichuy was appointed by the National Indigenous Congress, to which the Zapatistas belong, to participate in the presidential elections as an independent candidate. But, because of the difficult requirements for an independent candidate to get on the ballot, she was left out of the presidential elections.

This November 17th, 39 years after its foundation, the EZLN will once again come out of their trenches [1] and gather in the different caracoles, good government juntas and autonomous municipalities to celebrate what was created on Novembern17, 1983 in the heart of the Lacandón Jungle of Chiapas.

Starting November 16th, Zapatistas and non-Zapatistas, as well as organizations, will gather in November 17th autonomous municipality, located within the official municipality of Altamirano and also in San Cristóbal, in order to commemorate the 39^th anniversary of the Zapatista National Liberation Army.

[1] The Zapatistas did not reopen their Caracoles to the public after closing them due to the pandemic. The reason for the continued closure is the violence in Chiapas, the presence of organized crime and, thus, the need for tight security.

Originally Published in Spanish by El Heraldo de Chiapas, November 13, 2022, https://www.elheraldodechiapas.com.mx/local/municipios/ezln-anuncia-movilizaciones-en-festejo-al-39-aniversario-9184918.html and Re-Published with English interpretation and editing by the Chiapas Support Committee.