Zapatista leader Marcos breaks his silence

Subcomandante Marcos says he wants to influence Mexico's next election by creating a broad political force to push leftist values.

with mexico's presidential election coming up next year (mexico's presidents serve single, 6-year terms) and the front-running candidate, the current mayor of mexico city, manuel lopez obrador, being a leftist himself, it's gonna be an interesting year leading up to next august...

Now, though, Marcos, whom Mexican officials identified in 1995 as a former university instructor named Rafael Sebastian Guillen, is following the political track and is out making public appearances for the first time in four years.

He has used the recent forums in jungle towns to poke fun at Lopez Obrador, the presidential front-runner.

Lopez Obrador is a former Indian activist, but became popular in Mexico City through heavy spending on public works projects, pensions and other handouts for key voting blocs. The leftist candidate says he respectfully disagrees with Marcos, but will not argue with him.

In Zapatista strongholds, where an estimated 250,000 rebel supporters live mostly in wooden shacks — without electricity, government schools or hospitals — there is excitement about the movement's new direction, but few answers about what it will mean.

"I think the time has come for a new phase, where we are watching everything and discussing," said Gabriel, a member of the Zapatista "information committee" for a region that includes Carmen Patate.

Gabriel, who said community rules barred him from disclosing his full name, declined to talk about what he expected.

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