Emiliano Zapata

Emiliano Zapata was a prominent figure in the Mexican Revolution that occurred in the years 1910 and 1920, during which he formed and commanded the Southern Liberation Army , an important revolutionary brigade . Zapata’s followers were known as Zapatistas . The agrarian leaders that existed at the time welcomed the aspirations of the rural- type classes that occurred during that time and that had been affected by misery , due to a series of agrarian policies that made them lose all their lands. Emiliano Zapata was within that group and was one of the most admired. He was a man who remained faithful to all hisideals and thoughts , which at the same time caused him an isolation in the state of Morelos , where he established a series of reforms that no government could have tolerated.

Biography of Emiliano Zapata

Emiliano Zapata was born on August 8, 1879, in Anenecuilco , Mexico . Emiliano Zapata was a Mexican revolutionary and defender of agrarianism who fought in guerrilla actions during the Mexican Revolution . He formed and commanded the Southern Liberation Army , an important revolutionary brigade, and his followers became known as Zapatistas . He was orphaned at the age of 17 and it was when he began his life as a revolutionary . In 1897 he was arrested because he participated in a protest by peasants from his town against the hacienda that had appropriated his lands. After it waspardoned , he continued to agitate the peasants, and because of this, he was subsequently drafted into the Mexican army . After serving for only six months, Zapata was discharged to a landowner to train his horses in Mexico City. By 1909, his leadership skills were well recognized, and he was summoned to his birth town, Anenecuilco, where he was elected chairman of the village council board .

Death

Zapata died on April 10, 1919 . His death occurred when General Jesús Guajardo made him believe that he was also dissatisfied with Carranza’s government , and that he was willing to meet with him to devise a plan to stop him. It is said that Zapata even asked him for proof of what he said and Guajardo gave it to him. They made the decision to meet to discuss how to stop the government in a place called Hacienda de Chinameca , where Zapata was ambushed by Guajardo and was assassinated.

What did Emiliano Zapata do

Zapata was elected revolutionary leader in 1911. Zapata never wanted to undo his troops until he saw that the state distributed the estates , for which he was considered a rebel. He made different ambushes to the federals to attack the government. On November 25 of that same year, Zapata launched the Ayala Plan , a document that was drawn up by Otilio E. Montano , a document that was his main contribution and banner, which reflected the different ideologies of the Morales peasants. In this document, they demanded the redemption of the Indians and the proper distribution of the large estates. Since 1912, he dedicated himself to fighting the Federal Army

features

The main characteristics of Emiliano Zapata are the following:

• He was one of the most important characters in the history of Mexico.
• His movement spearheaded the Mexican Revolution and was known by the name of Zapatismo .
• It was the basis of a social revolution , economic and social transformations .
• He created the Ayala plan after the fall of the Porfirio Díaz dictatorship .
• He was killed in an ambush planned against him.

Personality

Emiliano Zapata was a man who always told the truth, was in charge of expressing his thoughts, different beliefs and acted at all times identified by his feelings . He was an intelligent man , full of determination and courage despite all the things that were against him, whether they were interests or political situations. He was an authentic man and he fought at all times to change the reality of his country. His life evolved into much suffering and he felt and lived the injustice of the feudal slave regime .

Ideology of Emiliano Zapata

Above all, he was looking for a solution to the problems on the land. He defended the independence and freedom of the peoples, the conservation and defense of the land, and he sought a way to implement a correct democracy and popular sovereignty of the peoples. His ideology was embodied in the Plan de Ayala, where land rights were claimed to protect the people of the towns.

Contributions

• Zapata created the Agrarian Commissions .
• Established agricultural credit .
• He inaugurated the Morelos Rural Loan Fund .
• In 1915, he promulgated the Agrarian Law .
• He managed to unite with Pancho Villa , both representatives of the agrarian revolutionary.
• He tried to turn the sugar industry located in Morelos into a cooperative .

Motto

Its main motto was ” Land and Freedom .” By this he meant to explain that the land had to be for the workers, for the peasants, and in no way should it belong to the landowners or the monopolies .

Quotes by Emiliano Zapata

• If there is no justice for the people, there is no peace for the government.
• I forgive the one who steals and the one who kills, but the one who betrays , never.
• The ignorance and obscurantism in every age have not produced more than flocks of slaves for tyranny.
• I am determined to fight against everything and everyone with no other bulwark than the trust and support of my people.
• The Mexican nation is too rich, but that wealth, that inexhaustible flow of gold, belonging to more than 15 million inhabitants, is in the hands of a few thousand capitalists and, of them, a large part are not Mexican.

Sons

• Guadeloupe
• Nicholas
• Juan
• Ponciano
• Maria Elena