Today the EZLN celebrated its 23rd anniversary! The Otra Campaña continues its journey through the northern states of Mexico, passing this historic day in one of its earliest hubs. In the Casa del Doctor Margil, which was a safe house for the formulative early organisation of the EZLN a plenary was held to commemorate the anniversary. In Monterrey, today a souless city famous for its social injustice, over 37 years ago the Fuerzas de Liberacion Nacional  (which later became the EZLN) was formed. One of its secret bases was for many years, the house/museum where the plenary was held today.

The Frente Popular Francisco Villa Independiente, Unidad Nacional de Organizaciones Populares Independientes, UNIOS, the Partido de los Comunistas and the Comision Sexta of the EZLN, all Mexican adherents to the Otra Campaña (Other Campaign) participated in today`s event.

Every indigenous nation that we have met on this short journey around the state of Sonora is fighting to continue living on its native lands. They face the threat of displacement, pollution from transnational projects on their doorsteps or extreme poverty that forces indigenous peoples to migrate to the city or to the USA. 

“We have seen anger and a feeling of helplessness,” says Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos, summarising the Other Campaign’s first journey around the north-western states.

 Moreover, the indigenous nations of Mexico are ignored and forgotten, or, as we learnt in Sonora, their very existence has been denied by the government.