Westlake Studio

The Virgin in Prayer (1640-50). Sassoferrato.

Joaquín Mir Trixnet, Calle de los Terrissaires, La Geltú, ca. 1922, Oil on canvas

On this day, 9 February 1995, the Mexican government cancelled the peace process with Zapatista rebels and invaded their Chiapas strongholds following the demand by an adviser to the US Chase Manhattan Bank that the government take action against them. Indigenous peoples in the area had risen up previous year and collectively taken control of their land and reorganised their economy in an equitable, directly democratic way. A secret Chase memo, which was leaked, stated: “While Chiapas, in our opinion, does not pose a fundamental threat to Mexican political stability, it is perceived to be so by many in the investment community. The government will need to eliminate the Zapatistas to demonstrate their effective control of the national territory and of security policy.” The memo went on to say that the governing party should “consider carefully whether or not to allow opposition victories if fairly won at the ballot box.” However, despite these efforts the Zapatista autonomous areas continue to this day. Learn more about the Zapatistas and Emiliano Zapata after whom they are named in these books: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/collections/all/zapatistas https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1648785568639920/?type=3

https://www.wikiart.org/en/richard-diebenkorn/interior-with-view-of-buildings-1962

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