Location :

Chiapas is the southernmost state of Mexico, adjacent to the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz to the west and Tabasco to the north and northeast. To the southeast and east lies the border with Guatemala. Chiapas has an area of 75,634.4 square kilometers, which represents 3.8% of Mexico’s total area.

SOURCE: Government of Chiapas 2005

Regions and Municipalities:

For historical and geographical reasons, the state of Chiapas is split into two major regions: the southwest part which includes the Central, Fraylesca, Isthmus Coast, Sierra, and Soconusco regions; and the northeast part which includes the Highlands, Northern, Lacandon Jungle, and the Border regions.

Chiapas is constitutionally divided into 118 municipalities. The capital is Tuxtla Gutiérrez. The state of Chiapas ranks first in the country in terms of marginalization by locality. Of the 118 municipalities, 109 suffer either a high or very high level of marginalization. Thirty-three of the 44 most marginalized municipalities are predominantly indigenous (with an indigenous population of at least 40%).

In December 1994, faced with an impasse in the peace talks, the EZLN created 38 autonomous municipalities which were “superimposed” on the official municipalities.

In 1998, the state government redrafted the official borders of the municipalities in an attempt to counteract the strength of the MAREZ (Zapatista Rebel Autonomous Municipalities). Eight new “official” municipalities were created: Montecristo de Guerrero, Maravilla Tenejapa, San Andrés Duraznal, Marqués de Comillas, Benemérito de las Américas, Santiago and Aldama. Far from reflecting a decentralization of power, this redistribution of districts has allowed for a greater control of the local authorities by the state government.

According to an EZLN communiqué from 2003, there are 28 autonomous municipalities, which are comprised of Zapatista support base communities. The autonomous authorities of the municipalities are known are the “Autonomous Council.” The councils of each of the five regions with a Zapatista presence (Highlands, Tzeltal Jungle, Border Jungle, Tzots Choj, and Northern Zone) are organized in a rotating manner in what are called the “Good Government Councils.” Their headquarters are in the “Caracoles” known as La Realidad, La Garrucha, Roberto Barrios, Oventic and Morelia.

The so-called “conflict zone,” according to the federal government, includes the regions of the Highlands, Jungle, and Border Jungle. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) also consider the Northern Zone to be part of the denominated conflict zone.

SOURCES: CIEPAC, CHIAPAS: Los Rumbos de Otra Historia, 1995