Creating New Spaces: Autonomous Practice in Zapatista Communities

The rise of Indigenous social movements advocating for autonomy in Latin America has garnered significant scholarly attention, particularly with the emergence of autonomous social movements rejecting normative political frameworks. Among these, the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, Mexico stands out as a prominent example. Founded in 1994, the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (EZLN) initiated a rebellion challenging state sovereignty, leading to the establishment of the Municipios Autónomos Rebeldes E Zapatistas or Zapatista Rebel Autonomous Municipalities (MAREZ). However, a recent communiqué from the group announced the dissolution of these autonomous municipalities and rebuilding of their communities into local autonomous governments. This project thus has dual aims to explore the mechanisms through which the Zapatistas have employed autonomy and how, post-structural change, autonomy in practices continues through new spatial articulations. My study thus investigates how the intentional construction and reconstruction of spaces within Zapatista communities reinforces autonomy reclamation, challenges state sovereignty and neoliberalism, and reaffirms varied spatial practices.