The Savvy Guerrilla: How the Literature of Subcomandante Marcos Funds the Zapatista Rebellion

Indigenous peoples, in exercising their right to self-determination, have the right to autonomy or self-government in matters relating to their internal and local affairs, as well as ways and means for financing their autonomous functions.

—United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Art.4

The Zapatista uprising in southeast Mexico made its debut on the world's stage on January 1, 1994. This armed rebellion quickly gained international attention and continued to be a talking point during the 2000 Mexican presidential elections. While on his election campaign that year, Vicente Fox Quesada was quoted as saying that he would be able to "clean up" the situation in Chiapas in fifteen minutes (Sipaz). There is no doubt that the conflict was not resolved in a mere fifteen minutes and the Zapatista resistance continues to exist, arguably stronger than ever, over two decades later.

The conflict in Chiapas has been virtually dismissed by mainstream media, especially major media outlets in the United States; nevertheless it continues to be a popular subject for academics. But after more than twenty years of resistance, what is it that maintains this popular uprising? What is it that sustains them and keeps them alive and fighting and moving forward on projects toward constructing autonomous communities? This study focuses on the literary production of Subcomandante Marcos¹ between 1999 and 2007 and proposes to pinpoint his decision to generate income through the sale of his writing for Zapatista rebel communities. I call attention to three of his books published in diverse genres within that eight-year period: The children's book and Maya folktale La historia de los colores (1999); the detective novel Muertos incómodos (2005); and the erotic Noches de fuego y desvelo (2007).

From the outside, it seems that the conflict has subsided but in a closer examination of recent and ongoing Zapatista projects (La Escuelita Zapatista and the Caracoles 10th Anniversary celebration in 2013 and the World Festival of Resistance and Rebellion Against Capitalism in 2015 for example) one finds that the exact opposite is true. The Zapatistas are still very much alive and present which becomes obvious as soon as one enters Chiapas. According to Mayor Mario of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) the conflict will continue until all Zapatista demands are met, "La Guerra, hasta cae todo lo que estamos resistiendo. Si se dura, pues que dure" (War, until everything we are resisting falls. If it continues, well, it continues); Chiapas: The Inside Story). And, that seems to be exactly where the conflict is today, still resisting, still fighting, and still very much alive.

At the turn of the new-year 2007 the Zapatistas put out a call to globalize rebellion as a way to maintain support and connections with the international community. The call was made during the First Meeting of Zapatistas Villages with the Peoples of the World in Oventic, Chiapas. In an article from the Mexican daily newspaper La Jornada dated January 2, 2007 a Zapatista from Morelia is quoted as saying, "Ya se inicia el sueño de los indígenas y del mundo, del campo y de las ciudades; la construcción de la globalización de la rebeldía y por la humanidad es la unión de gritar todos juntos" (The dream of indigenous peoples and the world is beginning, from the countryside and the cities, the building of globalized resistance favoring humanity unites everyone to shout together) ; Bellinghausen 2007). Keeping in contact with the international community, whether it be through the use of the internet, working with local, national and international NGOs, or by hosting "Meetings with the Peoples of the World", to which everyone from the planet is invited has helped the Zapatistas globalize revolution. The constant dialogue with people throughout the world not only helps the Zapatistas understand and progress in their anti-neoliberal struggle, but also aids others in understanding their own social struggles in any country across the globe. The call to "globalize" revolution echoes the words of Subcomandante Marcos during the first year of...