1996: After lengthy negotiations facilitated by Cocopa, the government and the Zapatistas sign the San Andrés Larraínzar agreements spelling out the reform of indigenous rights legislation. Not long afterwards, negotiations on implementation break down.
1997: Paramilitary groups massacre 45 Indians in Acteal.
2001: Marcos heads a 3,000-kilometre march from Chiapas to Mexico city, to present the Zapatista case directly to the government and congress. The authorities set aside outstanding arrest warrants against Zapatista leaders. Congress passes indigenous rights legislation which differs considerably from the draft prepared by Cocopa, based on the San Andrés agreements of 1996.
2000: Vicente Fox becomes President, claiming that he will end the Zapatista uprising 'in 15 minutes'.
2002: Opposition legislators resubmit the original indigenous rights draft legislation, but it makes no progress. Exploratory contacts opened to prepare the ground for the resumption of negotiations between government and Zapatistas.
2003: Marcos issues in February a series of letters on the situation of the indigenous communities in a number of Mexican states, and criticises the politicians and parties for not acting to improve their lot.
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