San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas. At the start of the ‘’(Rebel and Rebellious) Art: A Gathering of Art, Rebellion, and Resistance Toward the Day After’’ on Sunday, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) called on everyone to “think about the new world we want” because capitalism “was born badly and that is why it will die.”
Sub-commander Moisés said at the opening of the encounter that “what we want is art for life,” while noting that “the capitalist system has accustomed us to it and that is why it dominates us, but after it dies, we will have nothing” if we do not prepare.
“Its work was to destroy what was good, and since it will die, there will be no drones because there will be no batteries, and cars because there will be no gasoline,” he emphasized before more than a thousand people gathered in a recently renovated Zapatista space in the community of Winictón, municipality of Tenejapa, to welcome visitors. Before the official inauguration, dozens of uniformed and hooded Zapatistas marched, uniformly clanging their sticks, the only weapon they carried.
“What brought us together here is art. Everything is art, except that in this place called Mexico and in the world today, there is an art created by those who dominate the world; that is, there is capitalist art, a capitalist system,” said Moisés.
“We,” he added, “want to create another art, but it is for life. The art created by the capitalist system is lethal for the people of the countryside and the city, and also for nature. The capitalist system was born badly, and it will end badly. It was not born for life. All the poor of the world are witnesses. We are certain that what capitalism gives is not life. But they used the art of inhumane domination.”
He added: “That’s what we’re calling you for, because we believe we can. We’re here at this gathering; we’re not here for a concert, because a concert is just a group representing something.”
He reiterated that “the capitalist system was born badly, and because it’s bad, it’s going to die. What happened to us? We got used to the system, and that’s why they dominate us. After it dies, we’re going to have nothing. Their job was to destroy what was good before. And since it’s going to die, there won’t be drones because there won’t be batteries, and cars because there won’t be gasoline. Imagine everything else. So, how will life be?”
He maintained that capitalism “has destroyed even nature, and there will be a reaction from nature,” so “we have to organize ourselves to see how we’re going to survive. We have to think about what will make us survive. That’s the art for which we’re here. That’s the task.”
He added: “We Mexicans are witnesses. Those who call themselves the government have done nothing. It’s the same system in other countries, as they say, or peoples, as we say. So we all have to think about the new world we desire, not the one those in power want, as they say. Power lies with the people. What they say is not power. No. Power lies in us deciding, proposing, discussing, and it’s up to us to decide which of the many ideas is the best. That’s power. The people decide, not a few.”
The sub-commander affirmed that “what we want is art for life; let’s think about what it will be like when there is no capitalism. One day without capitalism, what are we going to do? Because that’s what will happen. That’s why we are at this meeting: art to create a new life, art for life, because the art created by the capitalist system is no longer useful; we have begun the commons, and we are going to demonstrate in practice what that commons is, not in rhetoric.”
He emphasized: “We’re going to do it because it’s a new art that can’t be found in any book or manual. We’re going to create it because the capitalist system has completely destroyed it. That’s why we’re here.”
Original article by Elio Henríquez, La Jornada, April 13, 2025.
Translated by Schools for Chiapas.