To understand what the group EZLN is fighting for, one must first understand Mexican politics in the 20th century. For nearly the last 70 years the Party of National Revolution has governed Mexico without interruption. This government is gender biased, racist, violent, and often underhanded in order to achieve its goals. Within this government, few woman or indiginous people rise to senior positions, this is a reflection of Mexican society. Violence is often used as a political tool for the government. Political assasintions are frequent, torture and detention without trial commonplace. The use of violence as a weapon occurs often within the ruling elite.The murder of PRI presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio in 1994 is generally attributed to others in the tension ridden group. Knowing this information makes it much easier to understand what EZLN is fighting for. According to the Zapatistas, 'we are the dispossessed millions..' and their enemies are the 'wealthy and the State' who have oppressed Mexican Nationals for at least the last 70 years and the indigionous people for the last 500. They argue that 'attempting change through all legal means' has been rendered entirelly unsuccessful by the PRI dictatorship, and therefore they call on Article 39 of the Mexican constitution, which states that 'the people have, at all times, the inalieable right to alter or modify the form of government." For EZLN, armed struggle is the only means available to reach thier goals. Thier stated demands on the Mexican government include an end to all illiteracy, the right to education, the right to dignified jobs, respect for the indiginous peoples and cultures, the creation of hospitals, freedom for and independent press, a cancellation of debts for the poor, and end to hunger, malnutrition and brutal exploitation, the release of political prisoners, the creation of truly free and democratic elections, 'an end to centralization' and establishment of municipal 'self-governance with political, economic and cultural autonomy,' and for woman, they demanded birth clinics, child care and access to education. Samuel Ruiz, the Catholic bishop of San Cristobal, Chipas, describes the rebels as follows: "The Zapatistas do not want to represent all the people of Mexico, but rather to make an appeal to the whole nation from the perspective of the marginalized indiginous people--so that all sectors of Mexican society can participate in building a better country... after all this is over, the Zapatistas do not want to become a political party or a movement. Rather, they want those in power to open the system to the participation of all. They want power to no longer be based on domination, but on service and participation."
Elections are held under the guise of being free and fair, but this could not be farther from the truth. The power of local PRI officials in all aspects of economic activity ensures a certain degree of support from voter's 'repaying debts'. Fraud is also quite widespread. In 1988 the governments presidential candidate looked set to lose to the opposition when the computers tallying the votes 'malfunctioned' in the middle of the count.International human rights groups and Amnesty International have documented many cases of intimidation of voters and opposition activists.
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