• Introduction
• Articles by Roberto Flores
  

This section is co-edited by Roberto Flores who currently lives in Los Angeles, California. Roberto (Beto) Flores (he previously used the pen name "Beto Del Sereno") returned in the fall of '97 from Chiapas where he did research on the "Feminine Factor Within the Zapatista Movement." Beto, a life-long activist for human rights, is now working with others on facilitating and developing the concept of "autonomy" as a method of rebuilding through structural development of oppressed communities.

Introduction

On January 1, 1994 an organization of indigenous peasants from the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico came into the world's view when they took over five towns, including San Cristobal de Las Casas. Organized in a movement called the Ejercito Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (EZLN), now often called the Zapatistas, they called for changes in the Mexican economy and political structure which would guarantee increased democracy and self-determination for the Mexican people, in particular indigenous groups. Ten million of Mexico's 93 million people are indigenous. Ninety percent of the other 83 million are of mixed descent.

The Zapatistas, many of them Tzetzales, Tzotziles, Tojolabales, Choles, and Mams focused criticism on the current globalization of economics experienced in many countries. In particular they targeted the policies of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and such treaties as NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) and GATT (the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs). Calling these policies "Neoliberalism", the Zapatistas describe the effects of these policies as devastating to people around the world.

Since the initial takeover of the five towns, the Zapatistas have developed their views based on a massive experiment in participatory democracy, gathering the views of over a million people. Now in ongoing negotiations with the Mexican government to change the Mexican constitution the Zapatistas work with the National Indigenous Congress (made up of delegates of 56 groups) and CONAI (the National Intermediation Commission) headed by Bishop Samuel Ruiz of San Cristobal.

Articles in this section feature the views and discuss the experiences of the people of Chiapas and the global impact of their movement. (Published December 12, 2001)

20th Celebration: A Sober Reminder That Zapatismo
Is A Large Thorn In The Side Of Global And Local Capital
by Roberto Flores
Oventic, Chiapas, Mexico and Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine April 16, 2014

Crisis of Finance Capital: Behind and Beyond Derivatives
A Comment on the Interview with Frank Partnoy
"Deregulation, Derivatives, and Moral Hazard"
by Roberto Flores
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine January 7, 2014


Chicano Artists and Zapatistas Walk Together: Asking, Listening, Learning:
Part 2: Findings -- Centrifugal Motivation
by Roberto Gonzaléz Flores
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine May 3, 2009


Chicano Artists and Zapatistas Walk Together Asking, Listening, Learning:
The Role of Transnational Informal Learning Networks In the Creation of A Better World
Part 1: Network Learning
by Roberto Gonzaléz Flores
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine August 15, 2008


Learning That Many Alternative Possibilities Exist
(With or Without the Intermediary Organization)
by Roberto Flores
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine December 3, 2006


13 de Junio: El Desalojo
Un Acto Contra La Humanidad
por Roberto Flores
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine July 29, 2006


Remembering August 29th Moratorium:
What is Self-Determination?
by Beto Flores
El Sereno, California
Published in In Motion Magazine September 1, 2005


Walking Together: Chican@ Artists and the Zapatistas
The Story of the Encuentro Chican@-Zapatista
by Roberto Flores
El Sereno, California
Published in In Motion Magazine April 3, 2005


From U.S. Centered Multiculturalism To Global Intercultural Educational Equality:
The Role of Reforms and Autonomy
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3
by Roberto Flores
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine October 16, 2003


From Disillusionment and Abandonment to Autonomy:
Zapatista Bilingual Indigenous Education in Chiapas, Mexico
A Case Study in Alternative Meanings of “Development”
by Roberto Flores
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine June 23, 2003


Lo que’l Vagabundo Significa Para Mi
What The Vagabond Means to Me
Roberto Flores
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine, April 24, 2002


National Autonomous University in Mexico City (UNAM)
striking students' organic relationship to the EZLN
Global neoliberalism prompts global organic relations and responses
by Roberto Flores
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine August 19, 2001


From Mapping Environmental Racism to Mapping Self-determination:
A Road Map to Community Autonomy?
by Roberto Flores
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine July 29, 2001


Community Autonomy: The El Sereno community in Northeast Los Angeles
Aiming to rebuilt society from the bottom up
Roberto Flores
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine February 6, 1999


Breaking the Ideological Hold
Zapatista Response to Mexico's Bilingual Program in Chiapas
Roberto Flores
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine September 18, 1998


Autonomy: Empowerment for Profound Structural Change
Lessons from the Zapatista autonomy process
by Roberto Flores,
Los Angeles, California
Published in In Motion Magazine August 24, 1997


The Army sets up another camp in San Pedro Nixtalucum-Zapatista territory
A Pattern Emerging of a dirty war in Chiapas / Parallel PRI and PRD governments
(Human rights delegation visits Chiapas)
by Beto del Sereno,
San Cristobal de las Casas,
Chiapas, Mexico
Published in In Motion Magazine, April 21, 1997


"Never Again A Mexico Without Us"
On the Importance of the Permanent National Indigenous Congress
A Report on an interview with EZLN Sub-Commander Marcos
by Beto del Sereno,
San Cristobal de las Casas,
Chiapas, Mexico
Published in In Motion Magazine, January 12, 1997