Self-government, Social Change, and Conflict in Oxchuc, Chiapas: The Long Road of Internal War in an Indigenous Mexican Municipality

Abstract

During the 2015 post-electoral conflict in the municipality of Oxchuc, Chiapas, came the demand for the election of municipal authorities through its own internal regulatory system. After going through several phases, proponents of change in electoral proceedings obtained legal recognition for Indigenous self-government. This achievement led to an interlude in the long history of political conflict and social change in the municipality. In this article we examine the contemporary history, processes, and recent political developments in the municipality of Oxchuc, which led to institutional recognition of this municipality’s self-government.