Erasto Urbina García and the history of Chiapas: agrar reforms, indígena unions and hitmen

The name Erasto Urbina Garcia is closely associated with San Cristóbal and the history of the indigenous movement in Chiapas.

It is a story of exploitation and brutality, but also of culture, political commitment, courage and gunmen.

At the same time it’s a testimony of how important it is to learn languages in a world where the richness of languages might provide a strong local identity, but at the same time can constitute a tower of Babel when it comes to uniting people and achieve political goals.

Lean back and let his daughter Rosa Isabel Urbina Zepeda tell the story of her father's life in the following 5 videos.

Vídeo I: El vio que su mamá murió

Vídeo I: El vio que su mamá murió

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In the first video his daughter Rosa Isabel tells about the violent events of her father's childhood that shaped him as a human being and formed the basis of his political commitment.

Vocabulario al capítulo I

  • Sustantivos
    carretera f
    compromiso m
    costumbre f
    crueldad f
    derecho humano m
    enfermedad f
    explotación f
    finca f
    harinero m
    mestizo
    patrón m
    piel f
    razón f
    salario m
    trigo m
  • zapatero m
    zapato m
    zopilote m
    Verbos
    abusar
    comprar >< vender
    conquistar
    descomponerse
    educar
    embarazar
    enojarse
    enterrar
    huir
    liberar
    morir /ue
    oponerse
  • organizar
    pagar
    parar
    platicar
    regalar
    sugerir /ie
    tirar
    violar
    Adjetivos y otros
    cafetalero
    común
    consciente
    político
    prohibido
Vídeo II: Hay pocos hombres tan valientes como tú

Vídeo II: Hay pocos hombres tan valientes como tú

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Rosa Isabel tells about how courageous people formed the first indigenous unions in Latin America, about secret meetings with life at stake and of the praise of president Lázaro Cárdenas.

Vídeo III: Llegaron 40 pistoleros

Vídeo III: Llegaron 40 pistoleros

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Erasto Urbina is working at implementing Lázaro Cárdenas land reforms but the work is facing strong opposition amongst the land owners in Chiapas and many wish Erasto Urbina García dead.

In this video Rosa Isabel tells about how her father escaped from 40 gunmen with the help of his Indigenous comrades.

Vocabulario a los capítulos II y III

  • Sustantivos
    Ocotero m
    bala f
    brazo m
    caballo m
    cajón m
    chamarra f
    diputado m
    escondite m
    extranjero
    fuego m
    guardia m
    horno m
    jinete m
    oreja f
  • pistolero m
    protección f
    puntería f
    reparto agrario m
    resina f
    sindicato m
    trabajador m
    Verbos
    contratar
    cortar
    crear
    cuidar
    darse cuenta
    detectar
    empujar
  • entender /ie
    esconder
    felicitar
    huir
    intentar
    mandar
    montar a caballo
    prender
    rodear
    salvar
    adjetivos y otros
    desorejado adj
    permitido >< prohibido
    valiente adj
Vídeo IV: Quienes entendieron, que levanten sus sombreros

Vídeo IV: Quienes entendieron, que levanten sus sombreros

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In this video, Rosa Isabel talks about the challenges of communication in the indígenous movement at the time having no common language.

However, it’s also a story of how indigenous governance works in practice when twenty thousand indígenas come to an agreement on building the roads around San Cristóbal de Las Casas together.

Furthermore, we hear about how close it came to a duel on horseback.

Vídeo V: Si me voy, sí toman mi vida

Vídeo V: Si me voy, sí toman mi vida

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Erasto Urbina survived many attempts on his life but refused to flee.

Eventually, though, his opponents got to him: hear how it happened in this video.

Vocabulario a los capítulos IV y V

  • Sustantivos
    bala f
    bat para béisbol m
    carretera f
    decisión f
    fisura f
    fogata f
    fogón m
    lengua f
    líder m
    mano de obra f
    milpa f
    problema m
    reparto agrario m
    sueldo m
    tierra f
  • título de propiedad m
    Verbos
    aventar
    bloquear
    cosechar
    cumplir
    defender /ie
    detener
    entregar
    generar
    golpear
    levantar
    localizar
    mandar
    obstaculizar
    platicar
  • recuperar
    resolver /ue
    sembrar /ie
    Adjetivos y otros
    aparentemente
    desanimado
    diariamente
    diferente
    disperso
    envenenado
    por consenso
    precioso
    recto
    valiente
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