La Otra Campaña en el otro lado...

... del Atlántico!

The actions called for by the EZLN in support of Oaxaca were supposed to take place yesterday, December 22. In Madrid, however, the protest happened on the 20th. Why? Clara Redal, one of the event's organizers and a member of the Comisión Confederal de Solidaridad con Chiapas, explained the date change by pointing out the fact that the 22nd is the day when "aquí, todos se van a su pueblo."

In the context of worldwide, coordinated mobilizations, I read this move as a piece (however superfluous or limited) of the process of building the local autonomies that the Otra Campaña seeks to support. It's a clear and easy example of the way in which Zapatista thought serves as inspiration instead of top-down, authoritarian mandates. The Otra Campaña allows -- or, better yet, demands -- local flexibility in conjunction with global ties.