LatinaLista — The most common criticism of the illegal immigration debate is why doesn’t Mexico help their own people.
Well, a quick review of the country’s history shows just how embedded corruption and discrimination are in Mexico’s government that it makes it hard for anything to be done for the people who need the most help.
With 53 percent of the population living in poverty and the country’s economic and political systems only supporting the top tiers of the population, the rise of the Zapatistas, led by their mysterious leader, Subcomandante Marcos, was a natural outgrowth of the years of suffering experienced by this class of people.
However, this part of Mexico’s politics has mostly been obscured from the rest of the world — until now.
A new documentary produced by Choices Video, entitled The Other Mexico brings the history of the Zapatista political movement to life.
The Other Mexico focuses on that nation’s poor and indigenous citizens who have no voice in the political system. Many of them have gravitated to the growing Zapatista movement led by its leader “Subcomandante Marcos”.
Some feel Marcos is a true folk hero while others view him as an opportunist seeking personal fame. Leading journalists and scholars debate the pros and cons of the movement as it tries to organize the country’s disaffected before the 2006 Presidential election.
What is particularly cool about this documentary, aside from the subject matter, is that while the DVD version costs a steep $99, a “streaming version” can be bought for only $4.99.
Along with the film is a downloadable guidebook for educators that include background on Mexico’s political party system and an interview with Subcomandante Marcos.
The film is in Spanish and Italian with English subtitles.
Video footage is powerful and personal and tells the story that goes too often under-reported.
Subcomandante Marcos, who acts as the voice for Mexico’s indigenous people, claims that the U.S. efforts to secure the southern US border is creating a volatile pressure cooker in Mexico which will explode as the country’s poor cannot find work to feed their families and themselves.
It’s a situation that is a ticking time bomb, according to Marcos. This film illustrates why he may not be exaggerating.
