Attac activist America Vera-Zavala pens memoir of rebellion and the Gothenburg riots

Twenty-five years after the Gothenburg riots, author and playwright America Vera-Zavala revisits the tumultuous events of that weekend in her new memoir, "Fiesta! Memoarer från upprorets tid" (Fiesta! Memoirs from the Time of Rebellion). The book chronicles her political life and her central role in the Swedish branch of the global anti-globalization network Attac.

Vera-Zavala frames the book as a depiction of a leaderless movement, with herself as its apparent figurehead. The narrative explores the period following the fall of communism in the early 1990s, a time when new political currents emerged. Unlike Karin Pettersson's "Förbannelsen" (The Curse), which focused on the bureaucratic and reformist aspects of the era, Vera-Zavala's "Fiesta!" champions the activist and revolutionary spirit. It highlights international mobilization for equality, justice, and solidarity, with core ideas including debt cancellation for poor countries and taxes on international currency transactions fueling engagement.

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I remember wondering if it was starting to become war.

The memoir recounts a period of parties, discussions, and demonstrations. However, the atmosphere shifted dramatically when police reportedly fired on protesters in Gothenburg. Vera-Zavala expresses lingering anger towards those who initiated the riots and criticizes the media's coverage, which she felt failed to accurately represent the events. The book captures the energy and ideals of a young woman who dreamed of a different world, contrasting with the neoliberalism and deregulation discussed in other contemporary accounts.

"Fiesta!" offers a personal account of a movement that organized online and was driven by a desire for systemic change. The book adds a significant voice to the historical record of the anti-globalization movement, providing a firsthand perspective from a key figure at the center of the events.

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Fiesta! is a portrayal of a leaderless movement where the obvious leader is named America Vera-Zavala.