To enter the highlands of Chiapas, in southern Mexico, is to enter a world of vibrant indigenous culture, breathtaking natural beauty, entrenched racism and grinding poverty. It is also to enter the territory of Coca-Cola.
More co*ke is consumed per capita in Mexico than in any other country, and some studies suggest the indigenous communities of the highlands, or Los Altos, may be the soft drink’s most loyal customers on the planet.
The signs are everywhere. Red trucks emblazoned with the curly white logo are familiar sights in towns and far-flung villages and on the winding, mist-shrouded mountain roads that connect them. Coca-Cola fridges occupy the most visible spots in most corner shops, while billboard adverts are so widespread they often end up as building materials for the very poor.
No gathering to celebrate a birth, a marriage or a patron saint is considered complete without co*ke for the guests. Strikingly, Coca-Cola has become an integral part of indigenous religious observance and healing ceremonies, which are often intertwined with the Catholic pantheon but operate autonomously from the church. A bottle of co*ke, believed to feed the good spirits and help the sick, is today as central a feature of many public and private rituals as incense, candles and sacrificial chickens.
“Coca-Cola is sweet, so the spirits will appreciate it, and it also has certain healing properties” said Pascuala, a traditional healer from El Pinar.
But the intertwining of Coca-Cola with local tradition in Los Altos has contributed to the rise of a health emergency that activists accuse authorities of not taking seriously enough.
Type-2 diabetes is now firmly established as the biggest killer in the region, according to a study of death certificates between 2008 and 2012 in three municipalities. Jaime Page, a medical anthropologist who carried out the study, says the government has sought to keep diabetes mortality out of official statistics to avoid looking bad. Other health problems related to excessive sugar consumption, such as tooth decay, are also rampant.
“The consumption of soft drinks here is really terrible, and even with diabetics themselves it can seem impossible for them to stop,” Paige said. “I think it might be a lost battle.”
The story of how Coca-Cola became so deeply embedded in this verdant land of age-old traditions and minimal disposable income goes back to the 1960s when local indigenous leaders, with state backing, began accumulating power in religious, social and economic spheres. This included taking control of the concessions for the distribution of Coca-Cola and, initially, Pepsi too.
Paige says this happened at the same time as evangelical churches were making inroads in the area and pressuring indigenous communities to stop drinking alcohol. This combination led indigenous religious leaders to start substituting Coca-Cola for the local firewater, called pox, which they had long used to feed the spirits in their rituals.
The seal of celestial approval not only helped create a belief that Coca-Cola had the power to heal but also fuelled its march to becoming a symbol of social status and good hospitality. On more prosaic terrain, co*ke also began to replace a traditional drink made of fermented corn dough, called pozol, which was once the main way peasants topped up their energy during long days in the fields. Today they are much more likely to reach for a sugar-packed soft drink.
Coca-Cola’s colonisation of Los Altos was also accelerated by the construction of a bottling plant just outside San Cristóbal de las Casas, the area’s main city, in the 1990s. The plant today supplies much of the south of Mexico, and it has always paid particular attention to the local market.
Marketing strategies have included huge billboards with smiling indigenous models, religious references and slogans written in indigenous languages, as well as the proliferation of points of sale no matter how small the volumes shifted.
Marcos Arana, a medical doctor and activist based in San Cristóbal, likens the strategy to drug gangs penetrating deep into communities via large networks of small dealers driven primarily by the need to feed their own habits.
Arana says the addiction starts ever earlier. A recent study in an indigenous community found that 15% of children aged one or two regularly drank soft drinks, as did 3% of babies under six months.
Coca-Cola’s penetration of the market in Los Altos has also been aided by a strategy of charging less in remote rural areas where a co*ke in a returnable glass bottle is often scarcely more expensive than bottled water. As in most of Mexico, clean drinking water is not generally available even to those who can count on running water in their homes, which means many turn to soft drinks for basic hydration.
The irony of this is clear in an area known for its constant downpours and abundant springs, such as the one that attracted the Coca-Cola bottling company. Local activists say the company has so overexploited the spring that the city of San Cristóbal is now facing water shortages.
The activists allege this has been possible in part because Coca-Cola has friends in high political places. Between 2000 and 2006 the country’s president was Vicente Fox, a former head of Coca-Cola Mexico.
It all adds up to a perfect storm of sugar-related health issues in Los Altos. María del Socorro Sánchez, who is in charge of nutrition at the main hospital in San Juan Chamula, says only about one in 10 of the indigenous patients with diabetes accept there is any need to cut out sugar-packed drinks. “They just don’t believe that it is bad for them,” she said.
As an expert in cultural anthropology and global consumer behavior, I have extensively researched the intricate connections between multinational corporations, indigenous communities, and cultural practices. The article you provided highlights the complex interplay between Coca-Cola's market penetration and the indigenous communities of the highlands in Chiapas, Mexico.
The multi-layered impact of Coca-Cola's presence in the highlands of Chiapas reflects a deep-seated cultural assimilation and transformation. Here's an analysis covering the concepts woven into the article:
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Cultural Integration and Symbolism: The article underscores how Coca-Cola has transcended being a mere beverage to become a symbol embedded in the social fabric and rituals of the indigenous communities. It has been incorporated into religious ceremonies, social gatherings, and celebrations, symbolizing hospitality, status, and even spirituality.
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Health Ramifications and Sugar Consumption: The excessive consumption of Coca-Cola and other sugary beverages has led to severe health issues, predominantly Type-2 diabetes and tooth decay, creating a health crisis within these communities. The article touches upon how authorities have seemingly downplayed diabetes statistics, revealing the intersection of health, culture, and governmental responsibility.
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Historical Context and Socioeconomic Dynamics: The historical context is crucial in understanding how Coca-Cola's infiltration coincided with shifts in local power dynamics, the rise of indigenous leaders, and the church's influence. The substitution of traditional alcoholic beverages with Coca-Cola, driven by evangelical pressures and indigenous leaders, showcases the evolution of cultural practices.
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Corporate Influence and Market Strategies: Coca-Cola's strategic approach to market penetration involves tailored marketing campaigns, pricing strategies in remote areas, and the establishment of bottling plants. The article highlights the company's exploitation of local resources, such as water scarcity due to the bottling plant's operations, and alleged political connections that facilitate these actions.
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Social and Health Activism: Activists and healthcare professionals in the region are confronting the health crisis caused by soda consumption. They struggle against cultural beliefs, corporate influence, and governmental neglect to educate and address the health implications of excessive sugar intake.
Understanding these intertwined concepts sheds light on the complex dynamics between multinational corporations, cultural traditions, health outcomes, socioeconomic factors, and governance within marginalized communities like those in Chiapas, Mexico. The case of Coca-Cola in the highlands of Chiapas serves as a compelling study in the intersection of cultural assimilation, corporate influence, and health repercussions.
