The guerrilla’s magazine shot

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Subcommander Marcos, the charismatic leader of the Chiapas rebels in Mexico, is the subject of an extensive profile (the link only gives you a teaser) in the Mexico City-based magazine Gatopardo, which circulates widely in Latin America. A few things make this different from your average profile of the subcommander, an iconic figure invariably photographed in a ski mask.

For starters, the rebel leader posed in Mexico City for a studio photo shoot -- the first time he’s ever done so, the magazine says. The cover shot is a remarkable profile, an image that would lend itself to an extensive analysis of the symbolism of the objects on Marcos’ person. He stands with his hands in the pockets of black denim pants, only his expressive eyes showing through his black ski mask, the pipe in his mouth emitting a tiny cloud of smoke. He wears a battered field cap (is it the same one he first went to war with, in 1994?) with three red stars, symbols of the militant Marxism of Che Guevara and Mao (who also wore caps with stars). His brown shirt is freshly pressed: He wears a Mexican flag pin, a necklace made of some sort of jungle reed and another that contains two simple stones. He sports a digital watch on each wrist, and two bead bracelets. And finally, he wears a military-style utility belt -- but with no guns, and only the antenna of a two-way radio visible.

The article itself, by author Laura Castellanos, recounts the history of the Zapatista movement that Marcos leads. Castellanos describes the paltry media coverage of Marcos’ nationwide tour of the country in 2006 and the distancing of some key European supporters. Marcos says the movement has detected signs that the new government of President Felipe Calderon is planning an offensive this year.

-- Héctor Tobar in Mexico City