Many will remember this from the 1990s. It made the news
primarily because it affected American tourism in the Yucatan Peninsula. After
the initial period of intense conflict coverage faded.
What many did not realise is that Israel became involved in
supporting the Mexican state through arms sales. The provided links remind the
reader that arms sales and proxies are but additional tools in the US Imperial
arsenal. No nation would be allowed to operate in Mexico without US permission,
especially in the realm of arms sales. Israel was effectively the US agent.
The Israelis and at other times Singapore and South Africa
have served in a similar capacity. In the 1980's Israel worked closely with
Apartheid South Africa on many 'projects' throughout Africa and it proved an
effective way for US policy to circumvent the congress. It was but one of many
examples of the Reagan administration completely rejecting the powers given to
Congress in the US Constitution.
The arms industries of these countries are afforded an
opportunity to generate some profits while at the same time they can work in
coordination with American intelligence to bring about the desired US policy
goal.
America's longtime ally and proxy, Mexico's PRI fell from
power with the election of Vicente Fox in 2000. However, Fox had campaigned to
deal with Chiapas and in addition became best known for his embrace of
Neo-liberal economic policies. The fall of the PRI was just a shell game. Fox
did eventually fall out with the United States in not supporting the Iraq
invasion in the UN and by 2006 he was gone. His successor Felipe Calderon
famously ignited the Mexican Drug War, a policy greatly supported by the United
States. Its brutality and scale have led many to forget about Chiapas
altogether though the conflict continues at a very low intensity. The old US
ally the PRI returned to power in 2012 with the somewhat shady election of Pena
Nieto.
The US has a long and very poor record in Mexico and their
direct involvement would have harmed their ability to exert influence. And yet
as the now famous 1995 Chase-Manhattan memo revealed it was important to US
interests and hegemony to quash the Zapatistas. The Zapatista narrative, so
opposed to globalisation and determined to expose its nature could prove
harmful to US financial and thus imperial interests.
It was a situation perfect for an American proxy to step in
and Israel filled the role.
It's a largely forgotten or even unnoticed chapter in
US-Mexico relations but instructive as today the issues of Constitutionality,
arms sales, drugs and proxy war continue to make the news.
Of course these wars have led to untold suffering on a
massive scale. Among those who have felt the brunt of this are Christians
caught in the middle of society that is collapsing. Mexico is presently
afflicted by and in many cases ruled by violent cartels every bit as vicious
and maniacal as ISIS in the Middle East. While not specifically targeting
Christians in many cases Evangelicals suffer disproportionately. It is perhaps
an understatement to note they are not appreciated by the Establishment of the
country or society in general. In many locales the cartels operate as the de
facto government and Evangelicals are viewed as suspect, non-compliant even
subversive.
In other cases the cartels have gone after Christians. This
is all the more sinister as in some cases the US government is collaborating
with the same cartels. This is explained by a host of political, economic and
strategic considerations. The recent prosecutions of figures like El Chapo should
be viewed as sceptically as the US arrest of Manuel Noriega. It's simply a
house-cleaning exercise and an opportunity to recalibrate and control the
narrative.
American Christians cannot lament worldwide persecution when
in many cases they are part of the system that is directly and indirectly
contributing to it. Petitioning the US government to put 'pressure' (i.e.
threaten) state actors to back-off is not only theologically dubious but is in
fact schizophrenic and often contrary to official policy. Contrary to American
domestic perceptions the US has no moral authority in the world. And its
hypocrisy is all too often backed and supported by an all but apostate Church
which cheers on its destabilising operations that continue to spread chaos and
death. In the wake of these strategic wars it is the people of God who often
suffer.
