Thousands of indigenous people protested passage of the watered-down version of this law in Mexico City and Chiapas May 1. In Mexico City, some 5,000 demonstrators organized by the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) marched to the Zócalo--the city's central square--where they joined a May Day rally of 200,000 workers.

The fight for an indigenous rights law became a national focus of political attention as members of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) organized a caravan through southern Mexico February 25–March 11, demanding passage of a bill guaranteeing constitutional rights for Mexico's Indian communities.

Among their demands was the right to conduct their own political and economic affairs according to tradition and custom. Thousands turned out in cities the caravan passed through to back this fight. A culminating rally in Mexico City drew 100,000 people.

Mexico's 10 million indigenous people--who speak 62 different languages--confront abysmal living conditions, resulting from both national oppression within their country and the superexploitation of this semicolonial nation by U.S. imperialism.

The amendments passed by Congress limited the rights granted to indigenous people by giving the state legislatures final say over Indian autonomy. State governments would have the power to set conditions for self-government, making it impossible for Indian groups, many of which span several states, to maintain unified recognition of their people.

The original version of the bill would have established Indians' communal rights to land and natural resources. Congress, however, inserted language protecting private land holdings in Indian areas and said Indians would have preference, but not sole rights to resources in their territories.

A Washington Post article pointed out that "the original legislation would have given Indians commercial control of lumber and other key natural resources on vast areas of their land." The bill actually passed stated that "natural resources could be tapped by the Indians, as long as they followed federal and state laws, which say no one can cut timber without a permit. That means the resources are still fully controlled by the government."

In response to passage of this bill, the EZLN suspended informal talks with the government of President Vicente Fox, which had begun a month earlier. The CNI, the largest group representing Mexico's Indians, called the constitutional amendments "a simulation" of its original form and "a door to war."

Mexican president Fox initially called passage of this bill "a great step forward," adding, "What we have to see is the part of the glass that is full, and not the small part that remains empty." However, in response to growing opposition to it, he quickly backtracked, admitting it was "insufficient."

Because the bill requires a change in the Constitution, it must now be approved by a majority of state legislatures to go into effect.  
 
 
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