Lucío Cabañas
Encyclopedia
Lucio Cabañas Barrientos (December 12, 1938 – December 2, 1974) was a Mexican
schoolteacher
who became a revolutionary, albeit not a Marxist one. Cabañas regarded Emiliano Zapata
as his role model and he never abandoned his Christian faith, as can be seen in Gerardo Tort's film documentary on him.
He was born in El Porvenir
, of Atoyac de Álvarez
, in the state of Guerrero
. He became politically active when he studied at the normal school
, Guerrero Normal, and was a leader of the local student union. In 1962 he was elected to the post of General Secretary of the Federation of Socialistic Peasant Students of Mexico. When he began work as a teacher, he also mediated problems at other schools.
When a rector of Juan Álvarez school in Atoyac demanded that all pupils wear school uniforms, Cabañas argued that some families were so poor they could hardly feed their children, not to mention buy school uniforms. The rector was fired but his supporters remained. When a May 18, 1967 strike action ended in shooting and deaths, Cabañas fled to the mountains and joined the group of Genaro Vázquez Rojas
until Vázquez' death on February 2, 1972.
Cabañas led a guerrilla group, the Army of the Poor and Peasant's Brigade Against Injustice. They numbered perhaps 300 members and lived in the Guerrero Mountains. He financed his group through kidnapping
s and bank robberies
.
The Mexican government sent 16,000 soldiers to the Sierra Madre
de Atoyac Mountains to hunt him. Fifty of them died during the chase.
In December 1974, Cabañas kidnapped Rubén Figueroa, senator and future governor of Guerrero. When government troops tried to rescue the senator, Cabañas committed suicide before being captured.
Some say Cabañas did not die but ended up in jail. If that was the case he probably would have been executed so that sympathizers would believe the rebellion ended with his death. Guerrero was in crisis and the city of Acapulco
was suffering a slump in its tourist industry, thanks to Cabañas.
There are a number of legends about him, including that he had five women bodyguards and carried a bag full of money
that he distributed to the poor. Those are most likely "tall tale
s"; similar legends have been built around Pancho Villa
and Emiliano Zapata
.
In recent, years, Cabañas has become a left-wing icon in Mexico, much like Che Guevara
and Subcomandante Marcos
. During recent social movements, including the 2006 clashes between teachers and the state government of Oaxaca
, Cabañas's face appeared on banners alongside those of Guevara and Vladimir Lenin
.
On July 3, 2011, it is reported that his widow,Isabel Ayala Nava,was assassinated as she exited a church in Xaltianguis,Guerrero.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
schoolteacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
who became a revolutionary, albeit not a Marxist one. Cabañas regarded Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata Salazar was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution, which broke out in 1910, and which was initially directed against the president Porfirio Díaz. He formed and commanded an important revolutionary force, the Liberation Army of the South, during the Mexican Revolution...
as his role model and he never abandoned his Christian faith, as can be seen in Gerardo Tort's film documentary on him.
He was born in El Porvenir
El Porvenir
-Places:Bolivia*Porvenir Municipality,Chile*Porvenir, ChileEl Salvador*El Porvenir, Santa AnaEcuador* El Porvenir Parish, Palanda Canton, Zamora-ChinchipeHonduras*El Porvenir, Atlántida,*El Porvenir, Francisco MorazánMexico*El Porvenir, Chiapas...
, of Atoyac de Álvarez
Atoyac de Álvarez
Atoyac de Álvarez is a city and seat of the municipality of Atoyac de Álvarez, in the state of Guerrero, south-western Mexico....
, in the state of Guerrero
Guerrero
Guerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....
. He became politically active when he studied at the normal school
Normal school
A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...
, Guerrero Normal, and was a leader of the local student union. In 1962 he was elected to the post of General Secretary of the Federation of Socialistic Peasant Students of Mexico. When he began work as a teacher, he also mediated problems at other schools.
When a rector of Juan Álvarez school in Atoyac demanded that all pupils wear school uniforms, Cabañas argued that some families were so poor they could hardly feed their children, not to mention buy school uniforms. The rector was fired but his supporters remained. When a May 18, 1967 strike action ended in shooting and deaths, Cabañas fled to the mountains and joined the group of Genaro Vázquez Rojas
Genaro Vázquez Rojas
Genaro Vázquez Rojas is a former school teacher, civic association leader, militant, and guerrilla fighter.-Guerreran Civic Community:...
until Vázquez' death on February 2, 1972.
Cabañas led a guerrilla group, the Army of the Poor and Peasant's Brigade Against Injustice. They numbered perhaps 300 members and lived in the Guerrero Mountains. He financed his group through kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
s and bank robberies
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
.
The Mexican government sent 16,000 soldiers to the Sierra Madre
Sierra Madre
Sierra Madre may refer to one of several mountain ranges:*In Mexico:**Sierra Madre Occidental, a mountain range in northwestern Mexico and southern Arizona...
de Atoyac Mountains to hunt him. Fifty of them died during the chase.
In December 1974, Cabañas kidnapped Rubén Figueroa, senator and future governor of Guerrero. When government troops tried to rescue the senator, Cabañas committed suicide before being captured.
Some say Cabañas did not die but ended up in jail. If that was the case he probably would have been executed so that sympathizers would believe the rebellion ended with his death. Guerrero was in crisis and the city of Acapulco
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
was suffering a slump in its tourist industry, thanks to Cabañas.
There are a number of legends about him, including that he had five women bodyguards and carried a bag full of money
Money bag
A money bag is a bag of money used to hold and transport coins and banknotes from/to a mint, bank, ATM, milled, business, or other institution...
that he distributed to the poor. Those are most likely "tall tale
Tall tale
A tall tale is a story with unbelievable elements, related as if it were true and factual. Some such stories are exaggerations of actual events, for example fish stories such as, "that fish was so big, why I tell ya', it nearly sank the boat when I pulled it in!" Other tall tales are completely...
s"; similar legends have been built around Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
and Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata Salazar was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution, which broke out in 1910, and which was initially directed against the president Porfirio Díaz. He formed and commanded an important revolutionary force, the Liberation Army of the South, during the Mexican Revolution...
.
In recent, years, Cabañas has become a left-wing icon in Mexico, much like Che Guevara
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
and Subcomandante Marcos
Subcomandante Marcos
Subcomandante Marcos is the spokesperson for the Zapatista Army of National Liberation , a Mexican rebel movement. In January 1994, he led an army of Mayan farmers into the eastern parts of the Mexican state of Chiapas protesting against the Mexican government's treatment of indigenous...
. During recent social movements, including the 2006 clashes between teachers and the state government of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
, Cabañas's face appeared on banners alongside those of Guevara and Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
.
On July 3, 2011, it is reported that his widow,Isabel Ayala Nava,was assassinated as she exited a church in Xaltianguis,Guerrero.