[NYTr] Mexico's Marcos to Withdraw from Public View
 
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:48:41 -0600 (CST)


Via NY Transfer News Collective  *  All the News that Doesn't Fit
 
sent by Milt Shapiro (mexnews)

AP - Dec 16, 2007

Mexican 'Subcomandante' to Withdraw

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's famed masked rebel, Subcomandante Marcos, 
says he is withdrawing again to the shadows, ending nearly two years 
of public appearances meant to bolster a grass-roots leftist movement.

Marcos became the eloquent voice of the Zapatista National Liberation 
Army as it burst out of the jungles of southern Mexico on Jan. 1, 
1994, to seize several cities in the name of socialism and Indian 
rights.

He has vanished before from public view for years, returning to 
barnstorm around Mexico to promote the Zapatista views.

"This is the last time, at least for a good while, that we will come 
out for activities of this type," Marcos said at a seminar Sunday in 
the southern state of Chiapas honoring French-born historian and 
anthropologist Andres Aubry.

In the comments, released Monday on the rebel group's Web site, 
Marcos said he was referring "to colloquiums, encounters, 
roundtables, conferences and, of course, interviews." It was unclear 
whether Marcos would continue recent appearances at meetings of 
leftist activists.

A cease-fire ended fighting between Zapatista rebels and government 
forces after a few days the initial uprising, and the two sides have 
since maintained an uneasy truce.

The Zapatistas have since formed autonomous governments in at least 
38 villages in the highlands of Chiapas, as well as "good government 
committees" that promote their development.

Marcos, identified by the government as former university instructor 
Rafael Sebastian Guillen, has continued to champion a social 
revolution from the jungles of Chiapas, issuing missives harshly 
critical of Mexico's politicians and government policies.

At Sunday's seminar, Marcos said various Zapatista communities have 
been harassed by local government officials, although he did not 
elaborate.

He said "for the first time" since the Zapatistas' uprising in 1994, 
the once widespread national and international social support the 
Zapatistas have customarily received this time has been 
"insignificant or null."

During his comments Sunday, the subcomandante referred to himself as 
the Zapatistas' military leader and not their spokesman.

Last year, Marcos toured the country to promote "The Other Campaign," 
aimed at promoting a new leftist movement during the 2006 
presidential campaign. His criticism of political parties, including 
left-leaning parties, created a division among leftist intellectuals 
and organizations that used to support him.

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