Editing Viva Zapata! (section)

==Plot==
[[Emiliano Zapata]] is part of a delegation sent to complain about injustices to corrupt longtime president [[Porfirio Díaz]], but Díaz dismisses their concerns, driving Zapata to open rebellion, along with his brother [[Eufemio Zapata|Eufemio]]. He unites with [[Pancho Villa]] under the leadership of naive reformer [[Francisco Madero]].

Díaz is finally toppled and Madero takes his place, but Zapata is dismayed to find that nothing is changing. Madero offers Zapata land of his own while failing to take action to distribute land to the ''[[Tenant farmer|campesinos]]'' who fought to end the dictatorship and break up the estates of the elites. Zapata rejects the offer and seeks no personal gain. Meanwhile, the ineffectual but well-meaning Madero puts his trust in treacherous general [[Victoriano Huerta]]. Huerta first takes Madero captive and [[Ten Tragic Days|then has him murdered]].

As it becomes clear that each new regime is no less corrupt and self-serving than the one it replaced, Zapata remains guided by his desire to return to the peasants their recently robbed lands while forsaking his personal interests. His brother sets himself up as a petty dictator, taking what he wants without regard for the law, but Zapata remains a rebel leader of high integrity. Although he is able to defeat Huerta after Madero's assassination, as a result of his integrity, Zapata loses his brother and his position.

Although in the end Zapata himself is lured into an ambush and killed, the film suggests that the resistance of the ''campesinos'' does not end. Rumors begin that Zapata never died, but is instead continuing to fight from the hills, feeding the ''campesinos'' a sense of hope. As several scenes suggest, over the years, the ''campesinos'' have learned to lead themselves rather than looking to others to lead them.