Rebels Threaten American Ranch, Run Tourists Out of Parts of Mexico's Chiapas State
Zapatista rebels are threatening to seize a ranch and guest house owned by U.S. citizens and are running tourists out of parts of southern Chiapas state — an unexpected turn for a country whose third-largest income source is tourism. The conflict is part of the rebels’ battle against foreign investment and eco-tourism, the small-scale, environmentally friendly operations that were supposed to help save the jungles where the Zapatistas have their last redoubts. “We don’t want any American tourists. … We don’t want any tourists at all,” said Gabriel, a black-clad Zapatista guarding a roadblock near the ranch who would give only his first name. Full Story