Between April 12th and 15th, the Critical Reflection Seminar “The Walls of Capital, the Cracks of the Left” was held at Cideci-Unitierra in San Cristobal de Las Casas. It included the participation of commanders of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) and of several intellectuals of the country.

Participations focused mainly on the neoliberal capitalist system today and what is to come, the resistances and possibilities that the proposal to form an Indigenous Council of Government and to appoint an indigenous candidate to the presidential elections of 2018 opens, given that with the current situation, “We have no choice but to make the earth shake its centers”, said Gilberto Lopez y Rivas.

From the first day, Subcomandante Insurgente Moises, spokesperson for the EZLN, explained why the capitalist world resembles a walled estate reminiscent of slavery on the estate, its boss-caporal-butler-foremen command structure, where government structure subordinate to the command of capital, its “employer.”

Later, he stressed that, “the migrants did not leave because they wanted to, but because they could no longer be on their farm, better known as a country.” He announced that after “emptying their pockets and not finding euros, the Zapatista communities agreed to work collectively to raise a total of 3,915.5 kg. of clean and roasted coffee to send to the migrant brothers, so that they are the ones who organize themselves there and see how to turn the coffee into resistance and rebellion.” He clarified: “We below need to help each other to demonstrate that we do not need those who give conditioned support,” referring to the government and political parties.

For his part, Subcomandante Galeano made a call to fight collectively because “the storm is coming and what is seen now is not even remotely the peak”, because “the worst is yet to come and individuals, bright and capable as they might be of feeling will not be able to survive survive if it is not with others, others.” He added that “Zapatismo as libertarian thinking does not recognize the rivers Bravo and Suchiate as limits of its aspiration of freedom”, because “the fight against capital is global.”

Referring to the upcoming electoral context, he reiterated that “among the options our position has been and is clear: There is no good foreman but we understand that someone, most of the time as a comfort therapy, makes a differentiation between the bad and the worse. (…) We do not want to choose between a cruel and kindly boss, simply and plainly do not want bosses.”

He added: “I would recommend that you take advantage of what the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) will do from May this year. We truly hope that the CNI will fulfill its own mandate and will not fall into the search of votes and posts, but that it will take a brother’s ear for whoever is below in pain and loneliness, to relieve him with the call to the organization.” He expressed that “Come closer as a sister, brother, brothers, because when the time comes when no one knows where to go, those who are despised and humiliated today will know where the path and the look, they will know the how and when. They will know the answer to the most urgent and important question in those moments: What next?”



At the end of the event, Subcomandante Insurgente Moises concluded “They listened to our words. It is now up to you to discern which ones serve you to organize, work and fight where you live. (…) We have only to organize and go for everything (…) People below: organize, fight and work in resistance and rebellion.”

For more information in Spanish:

Participación de la Comisión Sexta del EZLN en el Seminario de reflexión crítica “LOS MUROS DEL CAPITAL, LAS GRIETAS DE LA IZQUIERDA” (Participación del 12 al 15 de abril, Enlace zapatista)

Día 1: Los muros del capital, las grietas de la izquierda (12 de abril de 2017)

Día 2: Los muros del capital, las grietas de la izquierda(Radio zapatista, 13 de abril de 2017)

Día 3: Los muros del capital, las grietas de la izquierda (Radio zapatista, 14 de abril de 2017)

Día 4: Los muros del capital, las grietas de la izquierda (Radio zapatista, 15 de abril de 2017)

El enemigo capitalista no va dejar que el pueblo mande, por eso hay que organizarnos: EZLN (Radio Formula, 14 de abril de 2017)

“Lo peor está por venir”, advierte el subcomandante Galeano (La Jornada, 15 de abril de 2017)

Lo que viene será peor: subcomandante Galeano (Proceso, 16 de abril de 2017)

Refrenda el EZLN que la lucha es contra el capitalismo (Contralínea, 17 de abril de 2017)

La postulación de la candidata indígena es un llamado a la organización, más que un asunto electoral (Desinformémonos, 17 de abril de 2017)

For more information from SIPAZ:

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

Chiapas / Nacional : CNI y EZLN realizarán consulta para nombrar a una candidata indígena hacia las elecciones presidenciales de 2018 (15 de octubre de 2016)