Under-commander Marcos

The under-commander Marcos

In 1995, the Mexican president of the time, Ernesto Zedillo, revealed that the under-commander Marcos was in fact the former professor of the metropolitan autonomous Université of Mexico City (in Spanish: Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana or UAM), Rafael Sebastián Guillén Vicente .

According to the dires of its family, which refuses to confirm that it is Marcos, Rafael Sebastián Guillén Vicente would have been born on June 19th, 1957 in the town of Tampico (in the north of the Mexico) in a very easy family. His father, Alfonso Guillén, simple newsvendor (it is not the opinion of all it would exist other versions on the origin of the fortune of this family) made fortune thanks to a trade of sale of pieces of furniture which it developed.

It is with the Cultural Institut of Tampico that Guillén Vicente was interested in the lesson of the Théologie of the release and began the development of social “compromised” sound. At 20 years, in 1977, it decides to continue studies of philosophy and letters what is a luxury in Mexico because little outgoing students find an employment. Justified and talented, it finishes its license in three years (instead of five usually) and receives the medal Gabino Barreda, honouring best studying UNAM. This reward was given to him in clean hands by socialist president (PRI) Mexican Jose López Portillo. It is as at that time as Guillén Vicente defines and affirms its social democrat ideas starting from the study of the writings of Althusser, Marx and Engels.

During the years 1980, it made some stays in Chiapas in order to work with the organization of projects of health and trade unions of workers and with the installation of course of first aid and radio communication. It in addition went on a journey to Cuba to carry out various training courses policy there.

In 1983, Guillén Vicente is seen offering a post of professor in Sciences and Arts. It is said that at that time had constituted itself within the university a core of revolutionary professors whom he attended. Its revolutionary ideas push it as of February 1984 to give its resignation and to begin resolutely in what he thinks of being the Praxis.

During the formation of EZLN in 1984, Marcos occupied there the fifth station in importance in the Zapatist military hierarchy. EZLN was then led by Fernando Yáñez, alias Raúl O Germán. In January 1993, the command of the Zapatist forces appoints it chief of the Zapatist army, responsible for the Guérilla. Since the Zapatist rising of 1994, he is in addition the spokesperson of the Zapatist forces and the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee, General Commandement Zapatist of National Release.

As spokesperson, the under-commander Marcos owes his international reputation, in particular near the European intellectual left, with his literary talent, his poetic formulas and his direction of humor. For example, in order to make become aware of the extremely precarious social situation of certain Natives he reports in the following anecdote how a Native of Chiapas, which knew of Spanish only the words " oui" and " non" and which had been mistaken while answering at the time of its interrogation, was imprisoned for parricide, however the man which came to bring vivres to him each day was indeed his father! During the rising of 1994 the Zapatist ones released it and replaced it in prison by its guards . (this tale in its various alternatives was already used with the courses of the 20th century it does nothing but show the incomprehension of judges which does not speak the local languages, it is almost copied word for word in accounts of the long walk of the Communists in China of the Thirties)

Marcos made evolve/move its speech with the passing of years, passing from the Marxisme to the Altermondialisme without to deposit the weapons. Its official statements are read like stories, tales. Recently, it published a whodunnit with four hands with the Mexican author Paco Ignacio Taibo II, Of dead which disturb .

The character of Marcos also rests on his insistence to present itself as a public only masked of his famous Passe-montagne. and obstinately lorque one keep silent oneself asks him or come the funds which pay its troops and their armament.

According to the Zapatist ones, the balaclava that they raise is used as much with their personal protection as as symbol for their movement, recalling thus that they fight for the " citizens aliénés" , those which do not have " neither voice, nor face for personne". They also mention that the Natives use themselves of the '' paliacates '', traditional coloured scarves of Mexico, in particular to hide photographers. After success (?) of " the other campagne" (" campaña" will otra;) EZNL, the Zapatist movement become a true social movement, policy and cultural. Its speech is diffused overall and the modest Mexican population is very sensitive there; indeed the Zapatist ones daily think in council of solutions to bring for all and all. The EZLN, in the zones which it occupies in Chiapas created of the councils of good government where the people of in bottom are the only one to decide with the final one. " To order while obeying, here is the word of ordre" ; their system is in fact based on " an authentic democracy directe".

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