Subcomandante Marcos’ Visit to Chichén Itzá

Opening His Eyes, His Ears, and His Heart to Listen to the Mayan Communities

By Rosamaría González Romero
Por Esto! Daily

January 22, 2006

Doña Silivia Cimé Mex is the leader of the artisans’ collective of the Chichén Itzá archeological zone, struggling against the threats from the federal and local authorities of the National Institute of Anthropology and History, who hope to expel them from the zone. With all the hospitality characteristic of the Mayan people, they welcomed Delegate Zero (Subcomandante Marcos), whom they finally recieved.

This visit is important in the context of the construction of “the Other Campaign” in Yucatán and across the country, as the campaign was suspended by an accord among all the artisans due to their disagreement with the “antidemocratic manner” in which the Sixth Commission of the EZLN had named its representatives in Yucatán and Quintana Roo. This decisions, the mechanisms for making them, were considered as disrespectful on the part of the EZLN toward local and regional process and instead of strengthening their struggle may have hurt it.

If the presence of Delegate Zero among the artisans of Chichén Itzá means that the EZLN, through Subcomandante Marcos, is opening its eyes, its ears, and its heart to listen directly – and without middlemen – to the Mayan communities and Yucatán social fighters, who want to build the “Other Campaign” according to what was planned in the meetings after the release of the Sixth Declaratoin and in the plenary session on September 16 in Chiapas, we can say, it’s abut time!

Now time will tell if this interpretation is correct.

To conclude, I will take advantage of this platform to publicly thank the artisans’ collective of Chichén Itzá for its invitation to take part in the caravan that accompanied Delegate Zero from Chablekal to Pisté in his visit today, January 20, 2006, to Chichén Itzá.

Following is the text of the letter that Doña Silvia Cimé Mex, in her capacity as representative of the commercial artisans of Chiché Itzá, handed to Delegate Zero upon welcoming him:

Welcome Marcos,

I am Silvia Cimé Mex, representative of the commercial artisans of Chichén Itzá. In the name of all my comrades I thank you for having reflected and decided to visit us.

I want make clear to you why demanded this visit; it is because we do not agree with the people that you named as your representatives.

Here in Yucatán much has been said about us, that we didn’t need anything from you, and here you see the opposite of that, as all of us are in solidarity with the Other Campaign and with you, and as I told you one day in Chiapas, you are an example for us, and Chichén Itzá is with you.

Thank you.

Click here for more Narco News coverage of Mexico

Lea Ud. el Artículo en Español
Lesen Sie diesen Artikel auf Deutsch
Lisez cet article en français
Legga questo articolo in italiano

For more Narco News, click here.