Agrarian Revolt in the Sierra of Chihuahua, 1959-1965

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The early 1960s marked the rise of radical movements influenced by the Cuban Revolution, particularly in Chihuahua, Mexico. As large timber companies encroached on the forested sierra highlands, campesinos and rancheros mobilized to protect their lands and livelihoods. Building on a history of agrarian movements and armed self-defense, they demanded agrarian rights. Thousands of students joined the protests, participating in marches, land invasions, and direct actions that transcended political affiliations, marking their emergence as political subjects. The Popular Guerrilla Group (GPG) formed from sporadic armed conflicts in the region. Early successes emboldened the GPG to pursue more ambitious targets, culminating in an attack on an army base in Madera, Chihuahua, on September 23, 1965. This bold assault had dire consequences. Historian Elizabeth Henson offers a sympathetic yet critical perspective, arguing that the attack ultimately undermined and divided the movement, sacrificing its most militant and serious members at a time when such sacrifices were becoming more common. Henson illustrates how local history intertwined with national tensions surrounding one-party rule, the unfulfilled promises of the Mexican Revolution, and broader international ideologies.