Who were the Zapatistas, and what did they fight for?

The Zapatistas were a prominent guerilla group in Mexico, most famously represented by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), which emerged in the 1990s. They primarily fought for land reform, advocating for the rights of indigenous people, and opposing neoliberal economic policies that marginalized rural and indigenous communities. Their uprising in 1994 coincided with the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), as they believed that such policies would exacerbate poverty and inequality among the indigenous population.

The Zapatistas drew inspiration from the legacy of Emiliano Zapata, a leader in the Mexican Revolution who championed land rights for peasants and sought to overturn the injustices of land ownership concentrated in the hands of a few. This historical context is crucial in understanding their objectives: they aimed for social justice, recognizing the long-standing struggles of indigenous people against exploitation.

The other options present different contexts that do not align with the Zapatista movement’s goals or geographical focus. While revolutionary movements and organizations for democratic rights or social justice exist globally, the Zapatistas’ specific emphasis on land reform and the rights of indigenous peoples is a defining characteristic of their identity and cause.