42 - Coronel Amelio Robles

His name was Coronel Amelio Robles.

The Mexican Revolution can be characterized as one of the most contested social revolutions to happen due to the multidimensional nature of the struggle. The present-day Mexican settler colony describes it as the “dawn” of a new transformation that “successfully pushed” the nation towards “modernity”; for many guerrilleros involved, it is a reminder of the contradictory nature of navigating within Latin America. The story of Coronel Amelio Robles Ávila of the Liberation Army of the South is a perfect encapsulation of this. Being a Transgender Zapatista in the early 20th century, Robles had to live his whole life in a struggle for recognition for who he was and did whatever was necessary. While some consider the bloodshed of the revolution to end in 1920, Amelio unfortunately engaged in the struggle until his deathbed. In this episode of The Heatwave, we study his story, the disgraceful revisionism that resulted after his passing, and what present-day lessons we can apply for the true liberation of all people.

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Outro song: Amparo Ochoa - La Entalladita

The struggle continues, ¡Venceremos!