From EZLN to Cherán and Mexico City, how ancient Aztec institutions are reshaping Mexican Democracy
Now it is acknowledged that Zapatistas in Chiapas represented the first anti-globalization and anti-capitalist movement after the fall of comunism, which was then seen as “the end of History”. What once was just armed movement, it has rapidly rooted in the indigenous communities of Chiapas, creating town-based organizations that now provide different types of autonomous services to its inhabitants: from courts to health clinics, schools and, of course, security services in charge of the Zapatista militia. Perhaps without planning it that way, communities of Chiapas have organized just as the pre-Hispanic cultures of Mexico. Parallel to the conformation of EZLN, after decades of not being able to vote for officials in Mexico City, people pushed to create citizen representation within their neighborhoods, in addition to local deputies and mayors elected in districts and municipalities. Having notable differences with Zapatista town-based organization, again without any intention of rebuilding calpultin, the rebirth of ancient indian institutions of citizen representation is observed. Finally, the security crisis generated by the war on drugs has also pushed people in different mexican towns to organize the way that Aztecs and other pre-Hispanic cultures did. The case of p’urhépechan Cherán is undoubtedly outstanding: comuneros fought back the drug cartels throwing them out of their town and, in that move, they also pushed out Mexican State’s authorities. But not also in grassroots environmets we have seen the rebirth of ancient political institutions: the Federal Electoral Institute, created in the 90’s to organize clean and fair elections, and now seen as the key piece of Mexican democratization, surprisingly resembles to old Tenochtitlan’s council, tlatoani and bureacratic structure. Why are we witnessing the rebirth and reproduction of these antique forms of community organization? Where they are heading? Using comparative method, an answer to these questions is proposed