This is popular front a podcast focused on the niche details of modern warfare and

underreported conflict with me Jake Hanrahan. Today we're speaking to journalist Janet Bissoto.

She's going to be talking to us about the potential for a civil war in Chiapas in Mexico the area best known for the EZLN

these are patistas but now there are new self-defense militias popping up to defend the area from

drug cartels and what the self-defense militias believe are government

paramilitary forces.

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Patreon.com slash Popular Front. popular front.

Okay, so I guess we should probably start with that the communicate right that the EZLM put out I know they're not exactly that active out there at the minute but they

kind of said you know there's there's a civil war starting in Chippas like what's happening what is going

on yeah so last week or in the middle of September, the Zapatista's release, you know, this statement, very dramatic, saying we're at the brink of war.

Basically, they were denouncing the brink of war. Basically they were denouncing the kidnapping of two of their members by

the Orkow and you know they went on to accuse this group the Arcoo of basically being a paramilitary

political military organization that's just continuously perpetrating attacks conducting conducting kidnappings.

So the majority of their statement

was focusing on the insecurity carried out by this group,

but also the wider disregard by the municipal government.

And they basically stated that if this continues, Chia-Pas will turn into a civil war.

All of these different indigenous groups are tired of being marginalized, of having their

people. marginalized of people being

people being kidnapped, people being murdered,

and the government's not doing enough,

...