Recuperación de la Presidencia del Autónomo de Andrés Sacamchén

On April 6, 1999, Chiapas' interim governor, Albores, ordered the state police to dismantle the autonomous Zapatista council of the San Andrés Sacamchén Municipality, which he had governed since 1995. Army troops and public security forces occupied the council headquarters and installed a PRI mayor. The following day, more than 3,000 indigenous peasants marched on the town of San Andrés, peacefully recaptured the government headquarters, and reinstated the elected officials. The Mexican army and security forces fled the town, driven out by unarmed citizens. This 11-minute video captures the power of organized civil society as thousands of indigenous civilians demonstrate community-rooted democracy. Since then, community members have monitored the government headquarters day and night to prevent further attacks by the governor.