February 12, 1999

To the People of Mexico:

Brothers and Sisters:

After weighing the progess of the stage of the Promotion and Spread of the Consultation, we see that it has been a resounding success, and that it is now time to move on to the next stage: the Territorial Organization of the Consultation. In order to clear things up some, as we all seem to be a bit confused right now, we will try to explain things by following the method of Viejo Antonio: by asking. Sale y vale:

1.- What is the stage of the Territorial Organization of the Consultation?

Well, ahem, ahum, yes, or, that is to say… The Territorial Organization of the Consultation is when we now organize ourselves in our neighborhoods, in our communities, in our municipalities, in our regions and in our states for two very important things: in order to receive the Zapatista delegates and organize the public acts in which they will participate, and in order to carry out the Consultation on March 21, 1999.

This is very important, because it is an attempt to make the Consultation both a mobilization and a dialogue. And a mobilization and a dialogue are better if they include more people and if they are well organized, so everyone has a place, and all can listen and be listened to. Therefore, what is attempted now is to organize for these two things and to make them as great as possible.

3.- How has the EZLN organized the country territorially?

First, we’ll tell you that we have divided the country to accommodate the voyage of the Zapatistas and the realization of the Consultation. We have done this, taking into account several factors: the number of inhabitants, the level of organization in the stage of the Promotion and Spread of the Consultation, the political and social forces that operate there, special attention to municipalities with little participation, etcetera. In accordance with this division of the country, we have decided upon the form in which the Consultation will be organized territorially, the voyages of the Zapatista delegates, and the number of delegates that will go to each of the territorial divisions.

In order to organize the Consultation and the voyage of the Zapatistas throughout the country, there will be formed State Coordinating Councils for the Consultation. These Coordinating Councils will be formed, one for each state in the Federation, except in certain municipalities and delegaciones from the Federal District which will have their own Coordinating Councils and, for organizational purposes, will be dealt with as if they were states.

3.- Which municipalities in the Republic and delegaciones from the Federal District will have their own Coordinating Councils as if they were states in the Federation?

The following municipalities of the Republic and delegaciones from D.F. will have their own Coordinating Councils:

Iztapalapa (D.F.).

Ecatepec (Edo. de México).

Gustavo A. Madero (D.F.).

Nezahualcoyotl (Edo. de México).

Puebla (Puebla).

Monterrey (Nuevo León).

Juárez (Chihuahua).

Tijuana (Baja California).

Naucalpan (Edo. de México).

Tlanepantla (Edo. de México).

Alvaro Obregón (D.F.).

Coyoacán (D.F.).

Tlalpan (D.F.).

Cuauhtémoc (D.F.).

Venustiano Carranza (D.F.).

Azcapotzalco (D.F.).

Iztacalco (D.F.).

Benito Juárez (D.F.).

Miguel Hidalgo (D.F.).

Xochimilco (D.F.).

Tláhuac (D.F.).

Contreras (D.F.).

Cuajimalpa (D.F.).

Milpa Alta (D.F.).

4.- What will the criteria be for determining the number of Zapatista delegates that will go to the municipalities of the Republic and the previously mentioned delegaciones of D.F.?

The number of delegates will be in accordance with the number of inhabitants in each municipality or delegación, which results in:

MUNICIPALITY Number of Zapatistas

Iztapalapa (D.F.). 34.

Ecatepec (Edo. de México). 30.

Gustavo A. Madero (D.F.) 26.

Nezahualcoyotl (Edo. de México). 24.

Puebla (Puebla). 24.

Monterrey (Nuevo León). 20.

Juárez (Chihuahua). 20.

Tijuana (Baja California). 18.

Naucalpan (Edo. de México). 16.

Tlanepantla (Edo. de México). 14.

Alvaro Obregón (D.F.). 14.

Coyoacán (D.F.) 14.

Tlalpan (D.F.). 12.

Cuauhtémoc (D.F.). 10.

Venustiano Carranza (D.F.). 10.

Azcapotzalco (D.F.). 10.

Iztacalco (D.F.). 8.

Benito Juárez (D.F.). 8.

Miguel Hidalgo (D.F.). 8.

Xochimilco (D.F.). 6.

Tláhuac (D.F.). 4.

Contreras (D.F.). 4.

Cuajimalpa (D.F.). 2.

Milpa Alta (D.F.). 2.

NOTE: As can be seen, the places that will be treated as states organizationally comprise all the delegaciones of D.F., four municipalities in the State of Mexico, the capitals of the states of Puebla (Puebla) and Nuevo León (Monterrey), and the cities of Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez.

5.-Are the Coordinating Councils of Puebla, Monterrey, Nezahualcóyotl, Naucalpan, Ecatepec, Tlanepantla, Tijuana, and Ciudad Juárez in charge of coordinating the rest of the state to which they belong?

No. These Coordinating Councils are only in charge of organizing within their own area. We hope that in the rest of the state, another Coordinating Council will be formed. In this way, we will have two Coordinating Councils in the following states:

Puebla (one in the capital and one in the rest of the state)

Nuevo León (one in Monterrey and one in the rest of the state)

Baja California (one in Tijuana and one in the rest of the state)

Chihuahua (one in Ciudad Juarez and one in the rest of the state)

In the state of Mexico we will have five Coordinating Councils (one in Tlanepantla, another in Ecatepec, another in Nezahualcoyotl, and a fourth in Naucalpan. The fifth Coordinating Council will organize the work in the rest of the state).

6.- How many Zapatista delegates will visit the the other municipalities in the Republic?

The idea is that two delegates (a man and a woman) will visit each one of the municipalities not mentioned previously. In this way, each State Coordinating Council will multiply the number of municipalities in their state by two, and be prepared to receive that number of Zapatista delegates.

7.- Are there exceptions to the rule of two delegates per municiapality, aside from the ones mentioned earlier?

Yes. The municipalities of Guadalajara (Jalisco), Culiacán (Sinaloa), Chihuahua (Chihuahua), San Luis Potosí (S.L.P.) and Morelia (Michoacán) will receive a larger number of delegates, but it should be made clear that these municipalities are not to form their own Coordinating Councils, but rather will work with the State Coordinating Council that covers their entire state.

Municipality Number of Zapatista Delegates

Guadalajara (Jalisco). 32.

Culiacán (Sinaloa). 14.

Chihuahua (Chihuahua). 12.

San Luis Potosí (S.L.P.). 12.

Morelia (Michoacán). 10.

All other municipalities in the country will receive two Zapatista delegates (one man and one woman).

8.- How are we to organize the State Coordinating Councils?

Everyone and anyone from a given state (or a municipality or a delegación in D.F. that is treated as a state) that is interested in participating in the organization of the Zapatista delgates’ visit and in the organization of the campaign of March 21, 1999, will meet, come to agreement, and form a Coordinating Council.

Brigades, social, political and non-governmental organizations and individuals can be part of the Coordinating Councils for the Consultation, either in a state, in one of the 16 delegaciones in the Federal District, or in one of the special municipalities.

9.- Who can form a part of a Coordinating Council for the Consultation?

a).- All the brigades that are promoting and spreading the Consultation and are registered with the Oficina de Contacto para la Consulta.

b).- All people who are not organized in any group and who are interested in participating in the organization and relaization of this work.

c).- All social, political, and non-governmental organizations who are interested in participating in this work.

10.- What are the concrete tasks of the State Coordinating Councils?

There are seven tasks:

First.- To organize and carry out the movement of the Zaptista delegates from the Aguascalientes in Chiapas to their corresponding municipalities, and upon the end of the Consultation, their return to their communities. This includes finding funds and means for the neccesary transportation, which could be (in accordance with the budget of each state, delegación, or special municipality) airplane, bus, car, truck, boat, launch, canoe, bicycle, horse, skateboard, burro, rollerskates, on foot, etcetera.

Second.- To organize and take responsibility for the food and lodging of the Zaptista delegates along the way and during their stay in their assigned municipalities.

Third.- To organize and take repsonsibility for the security of the Zapatista delegates during the trip, stay, and public activities in which they participate.

Fourth.- Organize and take responsibility the schedule of the Zapatista delegates’ public activities during their stay in their municipalities.

Fifth.- To promote and organize the installation of Voting Tables for the Consultation and Community Assemblies in the municipalites in their state (or Federal District delegación or special municipality) on March 21, 1999 according to the instructions that they will be given at the time.

Sixth.- To organize and carry out the tallying of results from the voting tables and assemblies in their municipalities according to the instructions that they will be given at the time.

Seventh.- To communicate the results of the computation according to the instructions they will be given at the time.

Each Coordinating Council should put forth its proposal as to how it plans to fulfill these seven tasks and send it to the EZLN through the Oficina de Contacto para la Consulta, so that it may be approved or modified. The most important part of the work of the Coordinating Councils will be to take charge of the organization of the visits of the Zaptista delegates.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If any Coordinating Council does not have the means to receive all the delegates which have been assigned it, please let the Oficina de Contacto know and give a counterproposal. In the same way, if any Coordinating Council can receive more than its assigned number of delegates, also let the Oficina de Contacto know. We hope to receive all your reports by the latest the first of March (but preferably before this date).

11.- Is there any special territorial organization in indigenous zones?

Yes. For the indigenous zones, we have planned Regional Coordinating Councils. Municipalities with indigenous populations can come to agreement and form a Regional Coordinating Council to take care of the seven tasks. Or, if they wish and it is more convenient, they can organize within the State Coordinating Council.

For example, in the indigenous zones of Chiapas with a strong Zapatista presence (that is, all), the different municipalities can organize into a Regional Coordinating Council. Another example is in Oaxaca, where the indigenous zones have already organized within the Coordinating Council of their state.

12.- Can you give an example of the work of the Coordinating Councils?

With pleasure. We propose the example of the state of Jalisco. In this state, and above all in Guadalajara, there exist brigades, social, political, and non-governmental organizations, and individuals interested in the Consultation. Well, all these groups and people who are interested in Jalisco meet and come to agreement and form the Coordinating Council for the Consultation in Jalisco. They put forth their plan for the seven tasks:

One.- Since there are assigned two Zapatista delegates (one man and one woman) to each municipality (except Guadalajara, to which are assigned 32 delegates), and Jalisco has 124 municipalities, in total there will be 278 delegates, so the Coordinating Council will have to organize transportation to pick up the delegates in Chiapas and bring them back to Jalisco. Among the members of the Coordinating Council, a group is named that will travel to Chiapas and pick up the delegates. They will also organize the return of the delegates to Chiapas.

Two.- They will organize lodging (in separate rooms, for obvious reasons) for the Zaptistas, and also organize the provision of food (watch out for indigestion!) during their journey and during their stay in Jalisco for the week of the 14 to the 21 of March, 1999.

Three.- They will organize security for the Zapatista delegates while they are traveling there and back and while they are in Jalisco. This so that the government’s forces do not bother them or attack them. Not to isolate them from the people, but to keep them from those who are bad, that is, those from the government.

Four.- They will come to agreement upon and organize the public actvities in which they want the Zapatista delegates to participate. For example: a rally in the central plaza of the municipality, a meeting with union members, a visit and a public act in a working-class neighborhood, a meeting with students and teachers, a basketball game, a dance (a masked ball, of course), an interview on local radio or television, a press conference, etc.

Five, six, and seven.- These refer to the installation of tables, voting, and the computation. Concerning these we will make public the instructions at the suitable moment.

Well, since the Coordinating Council in Jalisco has its plan all set, they will send it to the EZLN by way of the Oficina de Contacto. The EZLN will go over it, approve or modify it, and send it back so that the Coordinating Council in Jalisco can see how it ended up, and when and where to pick up the Zapatista delegates who will be going to the municipalities in their state.

13.- Where do the State Coordinating Councils register?

In the Oficina de Contacto para la Consulta. Avenida Ignacio Allende #22-A, Barrio San Antonio (between Av. Alvaro Obregón y Hermanos Domínguez). C.P. 29250. San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, México. Telephone and fax: (967) 8-10-13 and (967) 8-21-59.

14.- And if we’re already organzed into State Coordinating Councils?

No problem. You just have to be accredited with the Oficina de Contacto para la Consulta. We repsect the form in which you have organized, and we are just looking to put you in contact with the brigades or individuals who are also interested in participating, so that they may be incorporated into the work of the Coordinating Council.

15.- When may we begin to form the Coordinating Councils?

Right now, from the time that you are reading this lengthy spiel.

16.- What is the last date for accrediting a State Coordinating Council for the Consultation and sending in the plan to excecute the seven tasks?

The last date is March 1, 1999.

Don’t wait until the last day! Put together your State Coordinating Council and meet to put together your plan for the 7 tasks. Accredit yourselves as soon as possible, and send in your plan soon. In this way you will have our answer sooner and have more time to get everything ready.

17.- With the start of the stage of the Terrirorial Organization of the Consultation and the voyage of the Zapatistas, does the stage of forming brigades to promote and spread the Consultation end?

NO! On the contrary, the stage of promoting and spreading the Consultation will only grow stronger. We hope that many more brigades will sign up and will incorporate themselves into the Coordinating Councils.

18.- When are the Zapatista delegates coming to my municipality? How long are they going to be with us?

The 5000 Zapatista delegates will leave from the Aguascalientes in Chiapas on Friday, March 12, 1999. Therefore, they will be arriving in your municipality on the 13 or 14 of March, 1999. They will stay in your municipality from that day until the very day of the Consultation, Sunday, March 21, 1999. They will be returning here on March 22.

Well, this is what we wanted to say for right now. We hope that things have been made somewhat clear, and that everyone will hurry up to form their Coordinating Councils, accredit them with the Oficina de Contacto para la Consulta, and send us their plan for fulfilling the 7 tasks as soon as possible.

(Translated by Pedro Gomez)