Rebels Halt Peace Talks With Mexico

Zapatista rebels in the southern state of Chiapas have broken off peace talks with the Mexican government in a move that appeared designed to increase pressure on an administration grappling with the emergence of a second guerrilla group.

The Zapatistas, who led a 12-day rebellion in January 1994, said in a letter to the government Monday that they are halting the 16-month-long peace negotiation because of “arrogance” of the government and accused it of using the new rebel uprising as an excuse to crack down on Zapatista supporters.

The Zapatistas - who have walked out of the slow-moving peace talks numerous times - also seemed to be trying to take advantage of the government’s vulnerability in the aftermath of synchronized attacks in four states last week by the new guerrilla organization.

Although the Zapatistas and the new group, the People’s Revolutionary Army, or EPR, are making similar demands for the poor, the Zapatista leader known as Subcomandante Marcos has criticized the use of violence.

“We are different from the EPR, but we are not against them,” Marcos said in the letter to President Ernesto Zedillo announcing withdrawal from the peace process.

Members of the new group reportedly set up a roadblock and distributed literature in Chiapas last week during its coordinated attacks.

While the Zapatistas launched a 12-day rebellion against the government that took an estimated 145 lives, the new unit’s tactics have been to ambush government targets since they appeared two months ago.

Political leaders and analysts have said they believe the new organization is better financed and armed than the Zapatistas were.