Rebels support attackers of Mexican oil pipelines

MEXICO CITY — A Mexican rebel group that waged a short-lived armed struggle against the government 13 years ago issued a declaration Monday in support of a Marxist group responsible for recent attacks on the country’s oil and gas pipelines.

The Zapatista National Liberation Army did not explicitly condone the Sept. 10 and July 11 attacks, which temporarily cut the delivery of gas and oil and cost businesses hundreds of millions of dollars.


But it said the demand of the so-called People’s Revolutionary Army that the government release two of its imprisoned members “is not only legitimate, it is also a complaint against the dirty war being revived by that lover of military uniforms, (President) Felipe Calderon.”

The statement was posted on the Zapatistas’ Web site and sent to news media outlets in Mexico on Sunday. It could not be independently verified.

AP