A celebrated rebel and freedom fighter of the Mexican Revolution, Emiliano Zapata was born in a rural community in the state of Morelos. Though his family was fairly well-off, Zapata came to identify strongly with Mexico’s peasant class and was a figure in the movement against the landlords and Mexican President Porfirio Diaz from early on before taking up arms. Zapata’s army, mainly peasants, became known as the Zapatistas, and helped to depose Diaz, only to come into further conflict with the moderate revolutionary government of Francisco I. Madero. Zapata attempted to institute land reform under the Plan of Ayala in the territory his forces controlled in Morelos, which led Madero to attack the Zapatistas. Zapata was able to rout the federal forces out of Morelos, and supported the northern forces led by Pancho Villa, Venustiano Carranza, and Álvaro Obregón in overthrowing the federal government. Zapata later broke with Carranza and once again went to war with federal forces. This time, however, Zapata was killed in an ambush. Afterward, Zapatistas under Obregon drove Carranza from power. Zapata remains influential and beloved among the rural population of Mexico, inspiring the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas.
“If there is no justice for the people, let there be no peace for the government.”
