There are five rebellious autonomous zones in the state of Chiapas, where hundreds of communities are building a different world. The Caracol is organised by the Zapatista ‘Junta’ a form of local government made up of elected representatives from Zapatista communities.
The Zapatista shop
The meeting space.
Banner
Oventic produces much of it's own food.
Despite the presence of nearby army bases there has been peace in this area for several years with neither the Police nor the army venturing into the Caracol or surrounding area.
“Nothing is easy” say the Good Government Junta and even less so when you are working under conditions of militarization and Para militarization.
Oventic was the second caracol built by the Zapatistas, it is in the High zones of the region, the place of Tzotzil Zapatistas and an area of extreme marginalization and poverty; This is the biggest of the five “caracoles”. It formed by long Central Street with new buildings being constantly built at the sides. Walking down the street, we see cooperatives, offices, communal bedrooms, an auditorium; the street finishes in an open circular ground where a basketball ground and the first Zapatista secondary school are found.
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