Indigenous Prisoner in Struggle, Adrián Gómez Jiménez, Commemorates the 27th Anniversary of the Zapatista Uprising

Statement from Indigenous prisoner in struggle, Adrián Gómez Jiménez, to commemorate the 27^th anniversary of the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas

To the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN)

To the Networks of Resistance and Rebellion

To the National Indigenous Congress

To the National and International Sixth

To the Human Rights and Non-Governmental Organizations

To the Independent Organizations

To the Network Against Repression and For Solidarity

To the Resistance and Rebellion throughout the World that Struggles Against Capitalism, Racism and the Destruction of the Environment

To the Free, Independent and Alternative Media

To the Public in General

Compañeras and compañeros, those who struggle from below and to the left, I send you a cordial salute from CERESO No. 5 in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. I am Adrián Gómez Jiménez, prisoner in struggle and member of the organization, La Voz de Indígenas en Resistancia, adherent of the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle of the EZLN.

I want to express my solidarity with the compañeras and compañeros of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation. Twenty-seven years ago, they raised their voices against the injustices that we live through as Indigenous peoples. We are marginalized and humiliated. Our rights our trampled on by the bad governments. They have governed decade after decade, century after century. Thanks to the Zapatistas who opened our eyes by waging war against the bad government. In 1994, the Mexican government celebrated the new year, while the Zapatistas initiated a year of struggle, a year of war, a year of freedom, risking life to fight for our rights. The fallen will not die in vain. Thanks to them, our eyes have been opened. Our people were totally humiliated and had no right to freely organize, to make our space and have what we need.

With the courage and willingness to sacrifice their lives, autonomous communities formed caracoles and bases of resistance. They opened the doors to civil society, launching the Sixth Declaration of the Lacandon Jungle of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN).

Today there are many compañeras and compañeros of civil society who are with the Zapatistas. They are not alone. We are many. Today more than ever it is necessary to unite forces.

These are my humble words written from this space of struggle, our dignified struggle in demand of justice, which the bad government has ignored.

Uniting the voices and forces of the Mexican people, true justice will triumph.

Respectfully,

Adrián Gómez Jiménez