You can't call this organization a terrorist one at all. The way that the Zapatistas have sloughed off the false legacies of Castro and Che and Bolivar to create an entirely new form of democracy is almost miraculous. Much of their success probably owes to abandoning the cult of the charismatic leader. Their spokesman, Marcos, is a mysterious figure who makes it quite clear that he does not have a true leadership position with the rebels. It's too easy to romanticize them as the vanguard of the anti-globalization movement; they also seem to deny any larger representative claims for themselves. The local indigenous causes they represent may well point to a anti-demagogic, truly democratic future for Central and South America. Or so we can hope.

The Zapatistas represent a legitimate insurrection against a very intolerable oppression. They are fighting a civil war. Whether they are justified in taking up arms is a matter of legitimate debate, but to equate them with the other terror groups on this list is irresponsible. They don't kill civilians. I'm rating them high with the assumption that it means they are better than these other groups. There aren't clear directions on how to rate.

Chiapas is an area in an uproar. USA fundamentalist Christian missionaries have been very active there and made large numbers of converts. Now we have Protestant militia and Catholic militia fighting each other. In another strange happening, Islam is making headways among the Maya Indians in Chiapas. The Mormons are also active there. Chiapas is a frontier area next to Guatemala, heavily Indian, probably the poorest area of Mexico, ruled by absentee landlords and largely ignored by the Mexican Government. All this leads to unrest that is exploited by the Zapatistas.

If we can agree, that for the most part, the Mexican government is corrupt, than maybe they might have some basis for their actions.

It sounds like Robin Hood moved to Mexico. They are OK I guess but I can not condone any terrorisim it is counter preductive.

The most peaceful guerrillas in the history of the world.

Zapatistas do not kill innocent civilians like IRA, Hamas, and KKK>

VIVA LAS VEGAS !!! aahhh yeah !!

Article 27 of NAFTA

Viva la causa!

The Mexican govt should move in with the military and crush these lunatics..

There are a couple of big differences between the Zapatistas and other terrorist / paramilitary organizations. First and foremost, they don't attack civilians. Their beef is with the Mexican government, and the Mexican government only. The second major difference is that their cause does not involve the destruction of a government - only the improvement of rights for indigenous people in Chiapas. It doesn't hurt their cause that Hollywood has fallen in love with them and their photogenic leader Marcos... if only more anti-government groups were like this.