The Caudillo in His Humanity: Images and Narratives of Emiliano Zapata

Abstract

This article proposes an approach to the figure of Emiliano Zapata that, without separating him from his political and revolutionary context, focuses on the human, every day, and symbolic dimensions associated with the construction of his leadership. Drawing on oral testimonies, historical documents, accounts by contemporaries, and Zapatista corridos, the study analyzes different representations of Zapata’s public and private life, with particular attention to the years before and after the beginning of the Mexican Revolution. From perspectives associated with cultural history and the history of emotions, the article revisits episodes related to land dispossession, agrarian conflicts, and the community dynamics of Anenecuilco, examining how these events have been connected, both by contemporaries and in later narratives, to the construction of Zapata as a figure of authority and a reference point for agrarian justice. It also analyzes how chronicles, testimonies, memories, and popular expressions, particularly corridos, contributed to shaping and sustaining a symbolic image of the Caudillo of the South. Rather than merely reconstructing events, these narratives attributed qualities, values, and meanings to Zapata that helped portray him as a defender of the land and a spokesperson for peasant demands. From this perspective, the article argues that the study of Zapata and Zapatismo may be enriched by considering not only the political and social processes in which they participated, but also the affective, cultural, and narrative dimensions through which his figure has been interpreted, appropriated, and resignified over time.