The Zapatista National Liberation Army began January 1, 1994, as a paramilitary rebel group with the goal of protecting the rights of Mexico's indigenous population. During that initial uprising, zapatistas seized seven Chiapan towns, all of them municipal seats: San Cristobal, Las Margaritas, Altamirano, Oxchuc, Huixtan, Chanal and Ocosingo. Since this early, somewhat bloody confrontation between the Zapatistas and the government, there has been little to no violence. Indeed, there was a general cease-fire established on January 12, 1994.

Essentially, the Zapatistas believe that 70 years of PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) one-party rule has led to a racially biased society wherein the bulk of the indigenous population lives in poverty. Their stated demands of the Mexican government include an end to illiteracy, the right to education, the right to dignified jobs, respect for indigenous peoples and cultures, the creation of hospitals, freedom for an independent press, cancellation of debts for the poor, an end to hunger, malnutrition and brutal exploitation, the release of political prisoners, the creation of truly free and democratic elections, "an end to centralization" and establishment of municipal "self-governance with political, economic and cultural autonomy," and for women, they demanded birth clinics, child care and access to education.