Zapatista Army of National Liberation

The Zapatista Army of National Liberation, or EZLN for short, is a special group in Mexico. They are mostly made up of indigenous people, which means they are descendants of the very first people who lived in that land. They live in a beautiful part of Mexico called Chiapas.

Think of them like a team that wants to make sure everyone, especially the people who have lived there for a long, long time, are treated fairly and have what they need.

The Zapatistas got their name from a hero named Emiliano Zapata, who lived a long time ago during a big change in Mexico called the Mexican Revolution. He was a leader who wanted to help farmers get their land back. The EZLN sees themselves as carrying on his important work.

They started their public fight in 1994, which is not that long ago, but they have been working for fairness for many years before that.

Instead of always fighting with weapons, the Zapatistas are super smart! They use something called civil resistance. This means they protest and speak out in peaceful ways to get their message across.

They want people to listen to their ideas about fairness and taking care of the land. They also have a famous spokesperson, like a team captain, named Subcomandante Insurgente Galeano, who used to be known as Subcomandante Marcos.

The Zapatistas are important because they remind everyone that people's voices matter. They want indigenous people to have control over their own land and resources. They believe everyone should be treated with respect. Their ideas have even inspired people all around the world to think about fairness and how we can all help each other live better lives.