As some of you may know, and others will soon find out, I bring in the Zapatistas (EZLN) into quite a bit of my studies. The EZLN is a group of indigenous peoples from the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico. They are a group that has been resisting the free-market and globalization since Clinton signed NAFTA into effect in the mid-90’s. Due to NAFTA and the neo-liberal conception of a free-market, indigenous people have been pushed off land their families have farmed for generations, and/or they become farm hands who work for very little wage. For the EZLN their response has been to fight back against the Mexican government who is selling their land to the highest corporate bidder.
In the film titled Zapatistas made by the group, one of the leaders states that there are more people who are Zapatistas than the people who live in Chiapas. Instead, they offer that all those adversely affected by globalization at any level whether they are women, minorities, students, or the disenfranchised in any way are also Zapatistas. My question is, can an individual not directly connected with a group (organization) speak on behalf of that group if the group claims the individual is part of them?
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