EZLN (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional)

The EZLN (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional) is a Mexican revolutionary movement founded in 1983, primarily composed of indigenous peoples in Chiapas. It advocates for indigenous rights, social justice, and autonomy, opposing poverty, inequality, and government policies perceived as marginalizing native communities. The EZLN is known for its armed uprising in 1994, which gained international attention, and for its use of decentralized, grassroots organization, emphasizing non-violent resistance, autonomy, and participatory decision-making within indigenous communities. While they launched military actions early on, much of their work now focuses on advocacy, education, and building autonomous local governance.