VivirLatino

It’s hard to believe that 15 years have passed since we first heard about the Zapatista movement in Mexico, with its charismatic leader Subcomandante Marcos getting most of the international spotlight. To mark the anniversary of the EZLN, top Zapatista leaders gathered together with supporters in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, to celebrate and to speak about the current state of Mexican society. Marcos had a lot to say, particularly with regard to the government’s war on drugs:

Marcos couldn’t avoid addressing drug violence in his discussion of violence against social movements. He says Mexican President Felipe Calderon and the corporate media “use and abuse the word ‘violence’” for their own means. “They say they condemn violence, but in reality they condemn action.” Marcos accuses Calderon of using the drug war to pacify discontent with his government. “Mr. Calderon decided that, instead of bread and circuses, he would give the people blood.”

Referencing the lack of confidence in Calderon’s government, which is ridden with corruption scandals and has failed to meet its own economic benchmarks, Marcos continued, “The professional politicians are the circus and bread is very expensive…. Perhaps…[Calderon's] goal is to distract people. The public is so busy with the drug war’s bloody failure, it could be that it doesn’t even notice Calderon’s failure in political economy.”

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