Civil-Military Relations in Mexico: The Zapatista Revolt and Its Implications

HE 1994 New Year's celebration in Mexico started with a bang. A mere hour into the year, the Ejercito Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional (EZLN or Zapatista National Liberation Army) assaulted and captured four cities in the Los Altos region of Chiapas, Mexico's southernmost state. The Ejercito Zapatista de LiberaciTn Nacionalshocked the Mexican people and most of the world. Although Mexican political and military leaders denied that they were caught off guard, they were, in fact, totally surprised by the magnitude of the attack. As events unfolded, the reasons behind the seizure of San Cristobal de las Casas, Las Margaritas, Altamirano, and Ocosingo