From the Editor- Lilia López
December is here and the holiday season is in full swing in San Cristóbal. The town Christmas tree towers in front of the Cathedral, religious processions are a weekly occurrence and not a night goes by without the crack of fireworks and rockets exploding in the capacious Chiapas sky. But despite all the holiday bustle, the Zapatistas are never far from our thoughts. They have announced a number of new initiatives in recent weeks including a major decision involving the Zapatista National Liberation Front (FZLN). As a result, we’ve dedicated a special section of this month’s newsletter to EZLN news.
While the Zapatistas continue to make headlines, Mexican politicians are “hard at work” on the campaign trail in preparation for the upcoming presidential elections in July 2006. Early this month we received a visit from Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) presidential candidate, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. With shouts of “Obrador, Obrador” hundreds of PRD supporters turned out to rally behind their candidate despite the chilly December air. In light of the increasingly heated presidential race here in Mexico, we’re also introducing a new component to the newsletter dedicated to the 2006 elections. This ongoing section will offer a brief summary of the latest news coming from the Institutional Revolutionary Party, (PRI) the National Action Party, (PAN) and the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD).
Also in this issue you’ll find a personal reflection on Hurricane Stan from volunteer Indigo J. Eriksen. While hurricane coverage in much of the national and international media is on the decline, the devastation Stan brought to this region is not something so easily forgotten by the Mexican and Guatemalan campesinos now attempting to reconstruct their lives. As Indigo spent 8 months volunteering in a small town in Guatemala, her return visit to the community several weeks ago was a moving and eye-opening experience. She shares her story eloquently with us in the reflection section.
We hope you enjoy this issue and have a wonderful holiday season.
In this issue you will find:
I. Announcements
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Laptop Donation -
Chiapas Peace House Board Opening II. Newsbriefs: Simon Walker
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Zapatistas of Olga Isabel Still Threatened with Forced Eviction -
Network of Relief Agencies Decries Continued Suffering of Hurricane Stan Victims -
Oventic Boot Cooperative Exports Boots to Canada -
New Zapatista Caracol Inaugurated in Mexico CityIII. EZLN News: Magalí Rabasa
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Zapatista Campaigns Move ForwardIV. Mexican Election 2006 Update: Lilia López
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With Candidates Selected, the Race is On V. Reflection: Indigo J. Eriksen
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My Return to Guatemala: A Search for Home
