Roberto Barrios, Mexico

A visit to a Zapatista Army of National Liberation village, a physical base is made up of mostly rural indigenous people ... bit of an eye opener.  Referred to as Zapatistas (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, EZLN), they're a revolutionary leftist group based in Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico.

The Zapatistas have been in a declared war "against the Mexican state", although this war has been primarily defensive, against military, paramilitary and corporate incursions into Chiapas. In recent years, it has been focused on a strategy of civil resistance.

The ideology of the EZLN is reflective of libertarian socialism, paralleling both anarchist and libertarian Marxist thought in many respects, the EZLN has rejected and defied political classification, as that would be just becoming part of the greater issue.  They retainin distinctiveness due in part to the importance of indigenous Mayan beliefs. The EZLN aligns itself with the wider alter-globalization, anti-neoliberal social movement, seeking indigenous control over their local resources, especially land

While visiting the village I was not permitted to take photographs.  It would seem no different than any rural village in the region, families, children playing.  Although I couldn't help but notice the machetes, holstered in the corner of most structures like something from a movie.  Nevertheless, they seemed like a peaceful group of people.

After spending some time in the village the group of people I was with took a visit to the waterfalls nearby the property, which are referred to a gift from the gods - under the Mayan belief.  Here I was permitted to swim and take photographs.

Diving from and swimming in some of the waterfalls ...

Backflips from the tree branch ...



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