The Zapatistas: The Second Stage

When NAFTA came into effect in January of 1994, the Zapatistas – a group representing the indigenous Mayans in Mexico – revolted in Chiapas, one of the poorest regions in the country, and drew attention to their right to autonomy. For the last 11 years, the Zapatista rebellion has reinvigorated anti-systemic movements around the world. The protests at the 1999 WTO meetings in Seattle, as well as similar demonstrations in Genoa, Quebec City, and Gleneagles, were in no small measure inspired by the Zapatistas. Last month, however, the Zapatistas declared that their struggle had entered a new phase, one that would be political and inclusive, but not military. Similar to the actions of 1994, this declaration, says Immanuel Wallerstein, seems once again to be the barometer of an international shift in sentiment. Although the details have yet to be revealed, the author implies that this new initiative could be the inspiration for a similar reevaluation throughout similar movements around the world. – YaleGlobal