Tourists Find Themselves in Center of Unrest

Foreign tourists drawn by the colonial charm of this beautiful mountain city have instead found themselves at the center of a powerful uprising by armed peasants against the Mexican army.

Since the insurrection began in the early hours of New Year’s Day, dozens of U.S. and European visitors have fled San Cristobal, one of the oldest cities in Latin America and a showpiece of colonial architecture. More than 200 soldiers were deployed in the city late Sunday.

“I’m getting out of here. The rebels were fine, but I don’t like the looks of these soldiers,” British tourist Peter Morris said.

But others say they have had a great time since the rebels marched into the city’s central square, which is flanked by colonial-style hotels, a town hall and a cathedral, shortly after a New Year’s Eve fireworks display.

“We had no idea what they were doing at first, but then they started smashing in the doors of the town hall. We sat in the square drinking coffee and smoking and watched them until about 4 a.m.,” said Phil McDonald, a Canadian tourist.

When daylight broke Saturday, dozens of tourists grabbed their cameras to shoot videotape and photographs of the rebels in combat dress and armed with rifles, shotguns and antique pistols.

San Cristobal, founded in 1528 with the Spanish conquest of the Americas, has for many years been among Mexico’s top tourist attractions.