![Otilio Montaño](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Otilio_Monta%C3%B1o.jpg)
The Plan of Ayala (Spanish: ''Plan de Ayala'') was a document drafted by revolutionary leader
Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata Salazar (; August 8, 1879 – April 10, 1919) was a Mexican revolutionary. He was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution of 1910–1920, the main leader of the people's revolution in the Mexican state of Morelos, and the ins ...
during the
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...
.
[Peter E. Newell, "Zapata of Mexico", Black Rose Books Ltd., 1997, pg]
/ref> In it, Zapata denounced President Francisco Madero
Francisco Ignacio Madero González (; 30 October 1873 – 22 February 1913) was a Mexican businessman, revolutionary, writer and statesman, who became the 37th president of Mexico from 1911 until he was deposed in a coup d'etat in February 1 ...
for his perceived betrayal of the revolutionary ideals embodied in Madero's Plan de San Luis Potosí
A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an Goal, objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a modal logic, temporal set (mathematics), set of intended actions through wh ...
, and set out his vision of land reform.[Robert P. Millon, "Zapata: The Ideology of a Peasant Revolutionary", International Publishers Co, 1995, pg. 60]
/ref> The Plan was first proclaimed on November 28, 1911 in the town of Ciudad Ayala, Morelos, Ayala, Morelos, and was later amended on June 19, 1914.[Guillermo de la Peña, "A legacy of promises: agriculture, politics and ritual in the Morelos highlands of México", Manchester University Press ND, 1982, pg. 63]
/ref> The Plan of Ayala was a key document during the revolution and influenced land reform in Mexico during the 1920s and 1930s. It was the fundamental text of the Zapatistas.
Background
Prior to the Mexican revolution, much of Mexico’s farmable land was owned by large landowners and not by common people. These large estates were called Hacienda, ''haciendas'' and would also expropriate land held by peasants and land communally owned by the native peoples. Many of these farmers had to work for the large landowners for low wages and did not own land to grow food to feed themselves or their families. This led to frustration in rural parts of Mexico. Land reform was one of the main issues that led to the Mexican Revolution. It also heavily influenced Zapata’s ideas in the Plan of Ayala.
Emiliano Zapata was a revolutionary leader from the southern state of Morelos during the Mexican revolution. During the overthrow of Mexican president, Porfirio Diaz Porfirio is a given name in Spanish, derived from the Greek Porphyry (''porphyrios'' "purple-clad").
It can refer to:
* Porfirio Salinas – Mexican-American artist
* Porfirio Armando Betancourt – Honduran football player
* Porfirio Barba-Jac ...
, he sided with Francisco Madero due the promises made by Madero in the Plan of San Luis Potosi, especially those on land reform. On June 8, 1911, Madero met with Zapata and demanded the disarmament of Zapata's army as a precondition for discussion of agrarian reform. Zapata disagreed and Madero was later elected president on November 6th. He then declared Zapata an outlaw for refusing to lay down arms. On November 28th, 1911 Zapata issued the Plan of Ayala with the help of Otilio Montaño Sánchez
Otilio Montaño Sánchez ( Villa de Ayala, Morelos, December 13, 1877– Buenavista de Cuéllar, Guerrero, May 18, 1917) was a Zapatista general during the Mexican Revolution.
Otilio Montaño was born in Morelos to Esteban Montaño and Guada ...
. Sánchez worked as a school teacher in Ayala who met Zapata after working with his brother. Sánchez then co-authored the Plan of Ayala with Zapata. This occurred only three weeks after Madero became president.
The Plan
The Plan was drafted with the help of local schoolteacher—and Zapata's mentor—Otilio Montaño Sánchez
Otilio Montaño Sánchez ( Villa de Ayala, Morelos, December 13, 1877– Buenavista de Cuéllar, Guerrero, May 18, 1917) was a Zapatista general during the Mexican Revolution.
Otilio Montaño was born in Morelos to Esteban Montaño and Guada ...
.[ It detailed Zapata's ideology and vision succinctly in the cry ''"Reforma, Libertad, Justicia y Ley!"'' ("Reform, Freedom, Justice and Law!"),]Donald Clark Hodges
Donald Clark Hodges (Fort Worth 1923-Climax, Georgia 2009) was a philosophy professor at Florida State University, who wrote about revolutions and revolutionaries (especially about southern and middle America).
Growing up in Buenos Aires, Argenti ...
, "Mexican anarchism after the revolution", University of Texas Press, 1995, pg. 15
/ref> later (after Zapata's death) shortened to ''"Tierra y Libertad!
The Mexican Liberal Party (PLM; es, Partido Liberal Mexicano) was started in August 1900 when engineer Camilo Arriaga published a manifesto entitled ''Invitacion al Partido Liberal'' (Invitation to the Liberal Party). The invitation was addr ...
"'' ("Land and Freedom!", a phrase first used by Ricardo Flores Magón
Cipriano Ricardo Flores Magón (, known as Ricardo Flores Magón; September 16, 1874 – November 21, 1922) was a noted Mexican anarchist and social reform activist. His brothers Enrique and Jesús were also active in politics. Followers of ...
as the title for one of his books).
The Plan contains fifteen points, summarized here:
# Zapata denounces Madero's revolution, claiming that his only motivations were to further his own power. Zapata also states the Madero was not carrying out the Plan of San Luis Potosi. He goes on to state that Madero is not fulfilling the promises of his revolution, is keeping much of Díaz's government intact and is suppressing the people who demand fulfillment of promises with violence. Zapata goes on to declare Madero incapable of ruling and calls on all Mexicans to continue the revolution.
# Zapata states that Madero is no longer recognized as president and states that they are attempting to overthrow him.
# General Pascual Orozco
Pascual Orozco Vázquez, Jr. (in contemporary documents, sometimes spelled "Oroszco") (28 January 1882 – 30 August 1915) was a Mexican revolutionary leader who rose up to support Francisco I. Madero in late 1910 to depose long-time presid ...
is nominated as Chief of the Revolution and, if he does not accept, Zapata nominates himself.
# A declaration from the Junta of the State of Morelos
Morelos (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Morelos ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Morelos), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 36 municipalities and its capital city is Cue ...
that the following points are additions to the plan of San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of San Luis Potosí ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí), is one of the 32 states which compose the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and i ...
, and that it makes itself the defender of the plan and its principles until victory or death.
# The Junta of the State of Morelos will not compromise until Madero and the remainders of Díaz's government are overthrown.
# The property taken from the people by “landlords, científicos, or bosses” will be returned to the citizens who have the titles to that property. Tribunals will be held after revolutionary victory to determine who the land belongs to; ''"The possession of said properties shall be kept at all costs, arms in hand. The usurpers who think they have a right to said goods may state their claims before special tribunals to be established upon the triumph of the Revolution."''
# Zapata states that the vast majority of Mexican citizens own little to no land. In addition, he states that many citizens had no way to move up in society. Due to these facts, he declares that one third of property of Mexican monopolies will be taken and redistributed to villages and individuals without land;''"That to the pueblos (villages) there be given what in justice they deserve as to lands, timber, and water, which laim
Laim (Central Bavarian: ''Loam'') is a district of Munich, Germany, forming the 25th borough of the city. Inhabitants: c. 49.000 (2005)
History
Originally its own independent locality, Laim was in existence before Munich. It was first documented ...
has been the origin of the present Counterrevolution"''
# In addition to the previous point, owners of monopolies that oppose this plan will lose the remaining two thirds of their properties. These properties will be used as war reparations and as payment to the victims of the struggle of the revolution, especially widows and orphans.
#To enforce the previous two points, the current forms of nationalization laws will be used.
#The members of Madero's revolution that supported the plan of San Luis Potosí but oppose this plan will be considered traitors and punished.
#Expenses of war will be taken as the plan of San Luis Potosí specifies.
#After revolutionary victory, the Junta of the revolutionary chiefs will select an interim president who will run elections afterward.
#After revolutionary victory, the revolutionary chiefs of each state will select, in Junta, a governor for the state that will run elections to organize public powers. This is done to avoid appointment of officials, which often works against the public.
#Zapata calls for Madero and other dictatorial parts of the government to resign, and threatens them with death if they do not.
#Zapata calls on Mexicans to rise up against Madero, once again denouncing him and his ability to govern; ''"Mexicans: consider that the cunning and bad faith of one man is shedding blood in a scandalous manner, because he is incapable of governing; consider that his system of government is choking the fatherland and trampling with the brute force of bayonets on our institutions..."''
On June 19, 1914, The Plan was amended after Orozco sided with Victoriano Huerta
José Victoriano Huerta Márquez (; 22 December 1854 – 13 January 1916) was a general in the Mexican Federal Army and 39th President of Mexico, who came to power by coup against the democratically elected government of Francisco I. Madero wit ...
against Zapata. This removed him as Chief of Revolution and forced Zapata to take that position. The amendment ratified the original intent of the Plan and called for a continuation of the conflict until the overthrow of Victoriano Huerta
José Victoriano Huerta Márquez (; 22 December 1854 – 13 January 1916) was a general in the Mexican Federal Army and 39th President of Mexico, who came to power by coup against the democratically elected government of Francisco I. Madero wit ...
—who had ordered Madero's murder—and the establishment of a government loyal to the principles of the Plan. Nothing in the rest of the Plan was altered.
Influence and legacy
The Plan of Ayala helped raise support for Zapata by uniting smaller rebellions under the common banner of land reform. This was evident in increased membership to Zapata’s '' Ejército Libertador del Sur'' ("Liberation Army of the South"). Zapata used the Plan to determine who he could trust during the Revolution. In 1914, the army allied with northern revolutionaries led by Venustiano Carranza
José Venustiano Carranza de la Garza (; 29 December 1859 – 21 May 1920) was a Mexican wealthy land owner and politician who was Governor of Coahuila when the constitutionally elected president Francisco I. Madero was overthrown in a February ...
and to defeat Huerta and succeeded in the same year. Zapata quickly came to be in disagreement with Carranza and his Constituent Congress and took up arms once again. Zapata joined forces with Villa again to take on Carranza and Obregón because of disagreements over land reform outlined in the Plan of Ayala. Zapata mainly kept to Morelos in his battles and on April 10, 1919 was killed on Carranza’s orders. His body was displayed in Cuautla to show the public that he was truly dead. After his death, the Zapatistas never regained as much influence as they had had when he was alive.
However, Zapata's successor as a leader of the Army of the South was able to strike an agreement with Carranza's successor Álvaro Obregón
Álvaro Obregón Salido (; 17 February 1880 – 17 July 1928) better known as Álvaro Obregón was a Sonoran-born general in the Mexican Revolution. A pragmatic centrist, natural soldier, and able politician, he became the 46th President of Me ...
about an extensive agrarian reform in Morelos, in exchange for support for Obregón's revolt in 1920. Much of the reform was also carried out during Obregón's presidency - albeit only in Morelos.[Womack, John: ''Zapata and the Mexican revolution'', New York 1968]
Even after the Mexican Revolution, The Plan of Ayala and Zapata’s ideas still influence society. In the late 20th century, the guerrilla group Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional
The Zapatista Army of National Liberation (, EZLN), often referred to as the Zapatistas (Mexican ), is a far-left political and militant group that controls a substantial amount of territory in Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico.
Sin ...
(Zapatista Army of National Liberation, EZLN) was founded in Chiapas, Mexico. EZLN’s main goals are land reform and redistribution to indigenous populations. They draw many of their ideas from Zapata’s ideology. The group began its rebellion after the Mexican government issued a series of economic reforms in preparation for joining the North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA ; es, Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte, TLCAN; french: Accord de libre-échange nord-américain, ALÉNA) was an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States that crea ...
, which the EZLN believed would negatively impact indigenous communities. The EZLN was originally a military group but has shifted towards more peaceful methods for change. The EZLN also use the phrase "''Tierra y Libertad!''" from the Plan of Ayala.
See also
*Plans in Mexican history In Mexican history, a ''plan'' was a declaration of principles announced in conjunction with a rebellion, usually armed, against the central government of the country (or, in the case of a regional rebellion, against the state government). Mexican p ...
References
External links
Text of the Plan de Ayala
First Declaration of the EZLN
{{MexicanRevolution
Mexican Revolution
1911 in Mexico
Ayala
Ayala may refer to:
Places
* Ciudad Ayala, Morelos, Mexico
* Ayala Alabang, a barangay in Muntinlupa, Philippines
* Ayala Avenue, a major thoroughfare in the Makati Central Business District, Philippines
* Ayala, Magalang, a barrio in Magalang ...
1911 documents