Zapatista rebels extend control over areas in south Mexico

Mexico's Zapatista indigenous rebel group has announced that it is extending its control over so-called "autonomous" zones to 11 more areas in the southern state of Chiapas.

Some are on land the Zapatistas seized after they staged a brief armed uprising in 1994 to demand greater rights for the indigenous. But at least one of new rebel "autonomous" towns is located in the ecologically sensitive Lacandn jungle, a nature reserve.

A statement signed by Zapatista "subcommander" Moises and posted over the weekend called it an "exponential growth that allows us to break the blockade again."