The current mood in Chiapas is tense. Although peace talks are continuing, government intimidation has increased, with such recent acts as immigration officials photographing tourists attending Bishop Ruiz's mass in the cathedral of San Cristobal, the attack and attempted rape of a Dominican nun working in a poor village, the expulsion of foreigners from the area, and increased helicopter flyovers and tank patrols of communities. Such a war in Chiapas, waged with the blessing of key elements of the U.S. power structure, must be addressed. The goal of the Mexican government is to isolate the EZLN and the indigenous communities who have decided that 500 years of colonization is more than enough. Given the U.S. media blackout of all but the most dramatic encounters, it would appear that this campaign of isolation is working.
International solidarity is crucial to keep the peace process alive and end the war.