Interview With Edgar Castro Zapata
Author of Emiliano Zapata: Testimonios de la Revolución del Sur
ALAN GERARDO PADILLA AGUILAR: Edgar, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Your book, Emiliano Zapata: Testimonios de la Revolución del Sur, is a powerful collection of accounts from family members of General Emiliano Zapata and Zapatista revolutionaries who fought alongside him. What inspired you to write this book, and why did you feel it was important to share these testimonies?
EDGAR CASTRO ZAPATA: What motivated me to write the book was the desire to bear witness to the relationship I had with my grandfather, Mateo Zapata. Through him, I came to know the life stories of the Zapatista veterans and widows in the state of Morelos, Mexico.
PADILLA AGUILAR: Can you share how you gathered these testimonies and the challenges you faced in preserving and presenting these voices from the past?
CASTRO ZAPATA: It took many years of gathering both documents and testimonies. What helped me was the friendship my grandfather had with the veterans through his office called the Instituto Pro veteranos de la Revolución del Sur. For many years, my grandfather documented the military stories of each Zapatista fighter so they could be recognized by the Mexican government. I preserved that work and took the initiative to present an archive of documents to UNESCO, and as a result, we were awarded the distinction of “Memory of the World – Mexico” in 2024.
PADILLA AGUILAR: What do you hope readers will take away from these testimonies, especially those unfamiliar with this chapter of Mexican history?
CASTRO ZAPATA: That they discover the human side and the historical significance of Mexico’s farmer revolution.
PADILLA AGUILAR: As a descendant of General Emiliano Zapata, you have a unique connection to this history. Can you share something about General Zapata that not many people know?
EDGAR CASTRO ZAPATA: What motivated me to write the book was the desire to bear witness to the relationship I had with my grandfather, Mateo Zapata. Through him, I came to know the life stories of the Zapatista veterans and widows in the state of Morelos, Mexico.
PADILLA AGUILAR: Can you share how you gathered these testimonies and the challenges you faced in preserving and presenting these voices from the past?
CASTRO ZAPATA: It took many years of gathering both documents and testimonies. What helped me was the friendship my grandfather had with the veterans through his office called the Instituto Pro veteranos de la Revolución del Sur. For many years, my grandfather documented the military stories of each Zapatista fighter so they could be recognized by the Mexican government. I preserved that work and took the initiative to present an archive of documents to UNESCO, and as a result, we were awarded the distinction of “Memory of the World – Mexico” in 2024.
PADILLA AGUILAR: What do you hope readers will take away from these testimonies, especially those unfamiliar with this chapter of Mexican history?
CASTRO ZAPATA: That they discover the human side and the historical significance of Mexico’s farmer revolution.
PADILLA AGUILAR: As a descendant of General Emiliano Zapata, you have a unique connection to this history. Can you share something about General Zapata that not many people know?
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CASTRO ZAPATA: I always recommend that people interested in reading my book pay close attention to the chapter titled “Testimonio familiar: los nacimientos de Zapata.” I wrote it based on family memories and stories passed down during and after the Mexican Revolution of 1910. People don’t know much about one of Zapata’s sons, named Mateo—what he did after his father was assassinated on April 10, 1919, and how he dealt with that legacy, which was passed down from generation to generation.
PADILLA AGUILAR: What does it mean to you to carry the Zapata name, and how has this legacy influenced your identity and your work as a historian? CASTRO ZAPATA: Personally, it means always keeping in mind a deep commitment to the people and their causes. And as a historian, it means preserving and sharing that great historical legacy. PADILLA AGUILAR: Finally, are there any current or upcoming projects you’re working on that you’d like to share with our readers? CASTRO ZAPATA: I’m currently working on the political biography of my grandfather, Mateo Zapata, through his historical archive, which was recognized by UNESCO as part of the “Memory of the World – Mexico”. PADILLA AGUILAR: Edgar, thank you again for sharing your time and valuable experiences with us. Your work is essential in preserving the historical memory of Mexico and the legacy of General Emiliano Zapata. I sincerely thank you for this interview. |
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