IMPACT OF THE NEOLIBERAL REGIMEN ON THE SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION AND SPATIAL REORGANIZATION WITHIN THE HIGHLAND REGION OF CHIAPAS

Abstract

We present an analysis of the impact of neoliberalism on the restructuration of territories within the Highlands Region of Chiapas, Mexico, between 1980-202, based on the description of how the international financial organizations imposed the neoliberal principles and how they were internalized within national laws in Mexico. The result was profound disparities between different regions of the country. We take the case of the Highlands of Chiapas, due to its characteristics that make it a laboratory in which global scale social action can be traced and analyzed in terms of its interaction and rejection of neoliberal guidelines. We refer how some peasant organizations related with Fair Trade operate; how producers and non-governmental organizations have promoted low distance markets, the promotion of fruit tree plantations within some municipalities and the election of local authorities without the intervention of political parties.