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Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés

EZLN | Ninth Part: The new structure of Zapastista Autonomy

Ninth Part: The new structure of Zapastista Autonomy

November 2023

Brothers, sisters, comrades:

I am going to try to explain to you how we reorganized the autonomy, that is, the new structure of the Zapatista autonomy. I will explain more to you later in more detail. Or maybe I won’t explain more, because practice is what matters. Of course you can also come to the anniversary and watch the plays, songs, poems and the art and culture of this new stage of our struggle. If not, Tercios Compas will send you photos and videos. At another time I will tell you what we saw good and bad in the critical evaluation of MAREZ and JBG. Now I’ll just tell you how it looks. Here it goes:

First: The main base, which is not only where autonomy is sustained, also without which the other structures cannot function, is the Local Autonomous Government, LAG [GAL for its acronym in Spanish]. There is a GAL in each community where Zapatista support bases live. The Zapatista GALs are the core of all autonomy. They are coordinated by autonomous agents and commissioners and are subject to the assembly of the town, ranchería, community, area, neighborhood, ejido, colony, or however each population calls itself. Each GAL controls its autonomous organizational resources (such as schools and clinics) and the relationship with neighboring non-Zapatista brother towns. And controls the proper use of the pay. It also detects and reports mismanagement, corruption and errors that may exist. And is attentive to those who want to pass themselves off as Zapatista authorities to ask for support or aid that they use for their own benefit.

So, if before there were a few dozen MAREZ, that is, Zapatista Rebel Autonomous Municipalities, now there are thousands of Zapatista GALs.

Second. – According to their needs, problems and advances, various GALs are convened into Collectives of Zapatista Autonomous Government, ZAG [CGAZ for its acronym in Spanish], and here discussions are held and agreements are made on matters that interest the convening GALs. When they so determine, the Collective of Autonomous Governments calls an assembly of the authorities of each community. Here the plans and needs of Health, Education, Agroecology, Justice, Commerce, and those that are needed are proposed, discussed and approved or rejected. The coordinators of each area are at the CGAZ level. They are not authorities. Their job is to ensure that the work requested by the GAL or that are deemed necessary for community life. Such as, for example: preventive medicine and vaccination campaigns, campaigns for endemic diseases, courses and specialized training (such as laboratory technicians, x rays, ultrasound, mammograms and those that we learn on the way), literacy and higher levels, sporting and cultural events, traditional festivities, etc. Each region or CGAZ has its directors, who are the ones who summon assemblies if there is an urgent problem or one that affects several communities.

That is to say, where before there were 12 Good Government ‘Juntas’, now there will be hundreds.

Third. – Next, the Assemblies of Collectives of ZAPATISTA Autonomous Governments, ACZAG [ACGAZ for its acronym in Spanish]. Which are what were previously known as zones. But they have no authority, and depend on the CGAZ. And the CGAZ depend on the GAL. The ACGAZ convenes and presides over zone assemblies, when necessary according to the requests of GAL and CGAZ. They are based in the caracoles, but move between regions. In other words, they are mobile, according to the towns demands for attention.

Fourth. – As will be seen in practice, the Command and Coordination of Autonomy has been transferred from the JBG and MAREZ to the towns and communities, to the GAL. The zones (ACGAZ) and the regions (CGAZ) are governed by the towns, they must be accountable to the towns and must find a way to meet their needs in Health, Education, Justice, Food and those that arise due to emergencies caused by natural disasters, pandemics, crimes, invasions, wars, and the other misfortunes that the capitalist system brings.

Fifth. – The structure and disposition of the EZLN has been reorganized in order to increase the defense and security of towns and mother earth in the event of aggressions, attacks, epidemics, invasion of companies that prey on nature, partial or total military occupations, natural catastrophes and nuclear wars. We have prepared so that our towns survive, even isolated from each other.

Sixth. – We understand that you may have problems assimilating this. And that, for a while, you will struggle to understand it. It took us 10 years to think about it, and of those 10 years, 3 to prepare it for its practice.

We also understand that it seems to you that your thinking is scrambled. That is why it is necessary to change your channel of understanding. Only by looking far away, backwards and forwards, can the present step be understood.

We hope you understand that it is a new structure of autonomy, that we are just learning and that it will take a while to get going well.

In reality, this statement has only the intention of telling you that Zapatista autonomy continues and advances, that we think it will be better for the towns, communities, places, neighborhoods, colonies, ejidos and rancherías where they live, that is, the bases of Zapatista support. And that it has been their decision, taking into account their ideas and proposals, their criticisms and self-criticisms.

Also, as will be seen, this new stage of autonomy is made to confront the worst of the Hydra, its most infamous bestiality and its destructive madness. Their wars and business and military invasions.

For us, there are no borders or distant geographies. Everything that happens in any corner of the planet affects us and concerns us, worries us and hurts us. To the extent of our very small strength, we will support human beings in distress regardless of their color, race, nationality, belief, ideology and language. Although we do not know many languages ​​or understand many cultures and ways, we know how to understand the suffering, pain, sorrow, and proud rage that the system provokes.

We know how to read and listen to brother hearts. We will continue trying to learn from them, their stories and their struggles. Not only because we have suffered from this for centuries and we know what it is like. Also, and above all because, as for 30 years, our fight is for life.

Surely we have made many mistakes in all these years. We will surely do more in the next 120 years. But we will NOT give up, we will NOT change path, we will NOT sell out. We will always be reviewing our struggle, its times and ways with a critical eye.

Our eyes, our ears, our heads and our hearts will always be ready to learn from others who, although different in many things, have our same concerns and similar desires for democracy, freedom and justice.

And we will always seek the best for our people and for our sister communities.

We are, therefore, Zapatistas.

As long as there is at least one man, one woman, one ‘otroa’ Zapatista in any corner of the planet, we will resist in rebellion, that is, we will fight.

See it for yourselves, friends and enemies. And those who are neither one thing nor another.

That is it, for now.

From the mountains of the mexican southeast.

Insurgent Subcommander Moisés.

Mexico, November 2023.

More than 500, 40, 30, 20, 10 years later.

P.S.- Here I leave you a drawing to see if you understand it a little.

 

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Medios Libres en Viena

(Español) Llegada de la Fuerza Aérea Zapatista a Viena en palabras del SubMoy

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«¿No la crean? ¡Lo van a ver!» Llegada de la Fuerza Aérea Zapatista a Viena en palabras del SubMoy from ¡Compas Arriba! on Vimeo.

Escucha o descarga el audio:
(Descarga aquí)  

Ve también: La Fuerza Aérea Zapatista se completa en Austria

 

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Radio Pozol - Medios Libres en Viena

(Español) Aterriza en Europa y habla en Viena la delegación aerotransportada del EZLN

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Viena, 14 de septiembre de 2021.

En medio de Europa Central, un centenar de mujeres, hombres y niñ@s zapatistas salieron al mediodía del aeropuerto de Viena, Austria, la sexta ciudad más poblada del continente, cerca de las fronteras con Hungría, República Checa y Eslovaquia, a orillas del río Danubio. Decenas de colectivos vieneses y de toda Slumil K’ajkemk’op esperan con ansias la llegada de la segunda parte de La Extemporánea, delegación aerotransportada del EZLN en su Travesía por la Vida, la cual no pudo llegar al vuelo de conexión en Madrid.

(Continuar leyendo…)

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CCRI-CG del EZLN

Words of the EZLN’s CCRI-CG to the Zapatista Peoples on the 25th Anniversary of the Beginning of the War Against Oblivion

Words of the EZLN’s CCRI-CG to the Zapatista Peoples on the 25th Anniversary of the Beginning of the War Against Oblivion

Words by Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés

Words by the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee

Words by the Good Government Council “Towards Hope”

 


Words by Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés:

Listen in Spanish: (Descarga aquí)  

December 31, 2018

To our compañeros and compañeras who are Zapatista bases of support:
To our compañeras and compañeros who are Zapatista Autonomous Authorities:
To our compañeras and compañeros who are part of the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee [CCRI] and those who are Regional and Local Authorities:
To our compañeras and compañeros who are milicianas and milicianos:
To our compañeras and compañeros who are insurgentas and insurgentes:

I speak in the name of the Zapatista Army for National Liberation.

I speak in your name, as it is my job to be your voice and your gaze.

Our hour as Zapatista peoples has come, and we see that we are alone.

I want to tell you clearly that this is what we see, compañeras and compañeros who are support bases, milicianos, and milicianas: we are alone, just as we were 25 years ago.

Alone we rose up to awake the people of Mexico and of the world, and today, 25 years later, we see that we are still alone. But we did try to tell them, compañeras and compañeros, you were witness to the many gatherings we held as we tried to wake others, to speak to the poor of Mexico in the city and in the countryside.

(Continuar leyendo…)

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Subcomandantes Insurgentes Galeano y Moisés

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Los Subcomandantes Insurgentes Galeano y Moisés cuentan la “historia del cine en las montañas del sureste mexicano” durante el Festival de Cine Puy ta Cuxlejaltic, Caracol de Oventic, 3 de noviembre de 2018.

Escucha en audio: (Descarga aquí)  

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Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés

Words from the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee-General Command of the Zapatista Army for National Liberation, 1 Jan 2018

Words from the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee-General Command of the Zapatista Army for National Liberation, January 1, 2018.

24th Anniversary of the beginning of the war against oblivion.

GOOD EVENING, GOOD MORNING:

COMPAÑEROS, COMPAÑERAS WHO ARE ZAPATISTA BASES OF SUPPORT.

COMPAÑEROS, COMPAÑERAS WHO ARE LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES IN THE THREE LEVELS OF AUTONOMOUS GOVERNMENT.

COMPAÑEROS AND COMPAÑERAS WHO ARE PROMOTORES AND PROMOTORAS IN THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF WORK.

COMPAÑEROS, COMPAÑERAS WHO ARE MILICIANAS AND MILICIANOS.

COMPAÑEROS, COMPAÑERAS WHO ARE INSURGENTAS AND INSURGENTES, WHEREVER YOU MAY BE.

COMPAÑEROS, COMPAÑERAS OF THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SIXTH.

COMPAÑEROS, COMPAÑERAS OF THE NATIONAL INDIGENOUS CONGRESS.

COMPAÑEROS, COMPAÑERAS OF THE INDIGENOUS GOVERNING COUNCIL AND ITS SPOKESWOMAN, MARIA DE JESUS PATRICIO MARTINEZ, WHEREVER YOU’RE LISTENING FROM.

BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF ALL THE ORIGINARY PEOPLES OF THE WORLD WHO ARE LISTENING TO US.

SCIENTIST BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ACCOMPANY US FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF MEXICO, AMERICA, AND THE WORLD WHO ARE ACCOMPANYING US TODAY OR LISTENING TO US FROM WHEREVER YOU MAY BE.

BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE FREE, ALTERNATIVE, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESS.

Today, January 1, 2018, we are here to celebrate the 24th anniversary of our armed uprising against the bad government and the neoliberal capitalist system which are the causes of all manner of death and destruction.

Just as other originary peoples, for more than 520 years we have been subjugated through exploitation, marginalization, humiliation, neglect, oblivion, and the dispossession of our lands and natural resources throughout the Mexican territory.

That’s why on January 1, 1994, we said ¡YA BASTA!, ENOUGH!—enough of living with so much injustice and death. We let the people of Mexico and the world know our demands for Democracy, Freedom, and Justice for all. We demanded land, work, dignified housing, food, health, education, independence, democracy, freedom, justice, and peace.

Now violence is everywhere, and it kills women and children, elders and youth, and even mother nature falls victim to it.

That’s why we say that our struggle is a struggle for life, for a dignified life.

And capitalism is a system of violent death, of destruction, of exploitation, of theft, of contempt.

That is what we originary peoples and the great majority of the inhabitants of this country Mexico and all over the world are lacking.

(Continuar leyendo…)

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La Jornada

(Español) Gustavo Esteva: La finca amurallada

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Por Gustavo Esteva | La Jornada

Nuestras formas de entender lo que pasa se vuelven rápidamente obsoletas, ante hechos sin precedente que no encajan en el marco mental dominante. Lo mismo ocurre con luchas convencionales, que se vuelven ineficaces o hasta contraproducentes. Al mismo tiempo, como se están sacudiendo hasta sus cimientos las anquilosadas estructuras dominantes y entran en crisis creencias muy arraigadas, aparecen peligrosas reacciones fundamentalistas. La confusión aumenta.

Necesitamos velas que nos permitan ver en esta oscuridad. Las que se prendieron la semana pasada en el seminario de reflexión crítica, Los muros del capital, las grietas de la izquierda, convocado por el Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, iluminan muchos aspectos de la compleja realidad que enfrentamos, cada vez más violenta y cínica.

El 12 de abril el subcomandante insurgente Moisés explicó cómo y por qué el mundo capitalista es una finca amurallada. Narró lo que le platicaron abuelos y abuelas, bisabuelos y bisabuelas. En tiempos como éstos, necesitamos mirar al pasado para poder otear el porvenir.

Recordaron ellas y ellos cómo era trabajar en las fincas, hacer la tarea, sufrir el castigo de caporales, mayordomos, capataces… Cómo el patrón –el dueño– se disfraza a veces de soldado. Y cómo la resistencia a todo esto no llegó muy lejos cuando se colgaron de alguien que los encabezara, por lo que tuvieron que aprender a hacerlo en colectivo.

De todo eso platicó el subcomandante Moisés, porque las, los zapatistas ven “que hoy estamos entrando de nuevo en esto. En el capitalismo de hoy no existen países […] Lo va a convertir en finca el mundo. Los va a hacer en pedazos, como de por sí así está […] Va a ser un grupo nada más de patrones-gobierno […] El que manda ya no es el que manda. El que manda son el patrón capitalista […] Esos gobiernos […] son capataces. Los mayordomos: los gobernadores. Los presidentes municipales son los caporales. Todo está al servicio del capitalismo” (http://enlacezapatista.ezln.org.mx).

(Continuar leyendo…)

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Comisión Sexta del EZLN

Participation of the Sixth Commission in the Seminar for critical reflection “The Walls of Capital, the Cracks of the Left”

12042017lasgrietas1-15

12 April

Prelude: Clocks, the Apocalypse and the Time of the Small
Subcomandante Insurgente Galeano

The Capitalist World is a Walled Plantation
Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés

Kagemusha: April is also Tomorrow
Subcomandante Insurgente Galeano

13 April

Organized Coffee against the Wall
Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés

14 April

Lessons on Geography and Globalized Calendars
Subcomandante Insurgente Galeano

15 April

Closing words for the seminar on critical reflection “The Walls of Capital, the Cracks from the Left”
Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés

 

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Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés

Closing Words of the Seminar on Critical Reflection “The Walls of Capital, The Cracks of the Left”

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Closing words by Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés

Seminario “Los muros del capital, las grietas de la izquierda
Cideci / Universidad de la Tierra Chiapas
15 de abril de 2017

(Descarga aquí)  

Good evening.

Thank you, compañeras and compañeros of Mexico and the world.

Thank you, sisters and brothers of Mexico and the world.

I thank you because you made a great effort to listen to us during these days that we have been here together, you worked hard to get here and to return home, and we know that requires significant effort.
We who presented spoke a great deal, and it falls to you to sift through our words to see which will be useful to you in organizing, working, and struggling in the places where you live.

We do want to insist to you that capitalism is going to turn the world into its plantations.

That means we poor women and men of the world have to organize, struggle, and work.

(Continuar leyendo…)

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Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés

Organized Coffee Against the Wall – Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés

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Organized Coffee Against the Wall
Subcomandante Insurgente Moisés

Seminar “The Walls of Capital, the Cracks of the Left”
Cideci / Universidad de la Tierra Chiapas
13 April 2017

(Descarga aquí)  

Good afternoon or good morning to those who are listening to us around the world.

What I’m going to talk about, compañeros, compañeras, brothers and sisters who are present here and those who watch us from elsewhere… what I’m going to talk to you about is not what I think, but rather what the compañeras and compañeras who make up the Zapatista Army for National Liberation bases of support think.

We compañeras and compañeras here in front [members of the EZLN comandancia] understand that we serve as support for the thousands of compañeras who are bases of support; we support the thousands of compañeros who are bases of support. That’s how we’ve defined it lately because we pass along to them what we see, what we hear, what we come to know. And what is it that we have come to know or hear about? Trump’s wall.

When we started hearing about this, when we began to understand what was going on, we met with the compañeras and compañeros of the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee [CCRI] and began to discuss what is happening to our migrant brothers and sisters who are in the United States.

(Continuar leyendo…)