After a marathon 12-state march from their jungle hideout, Zapatista Subcommander Marcos and 23 rebel leaders were set to make a triumphant entry into the heart of Mexico City today to drive home their campaign for Indian rights.
Tens of thousands of rebel sympathizers are expected to turn out in the capital's main square for a rally marking the culmination of the 15-day trek.
The rebels, accompanied by a motley band of supporters sporting body piercings, tattoos and Zapatista memorabilia, will address the crowd in the vast square, flanked by arched colonial government buildings, with Aztec ruins a stone's throw away.
Far from being outlawed, the rebels have actually been welcomed as heroes and offered federal and state police protection along the way.
Marcos, a vehement opponent of corporate interests and unfettered capitalism, led a 10-day armed uprising against the government on January 1st, 1994, the same day the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Mexico, Canada and the United States went into effect.
The uprising in support of indigenous rights left 200 army and rebel soldiers dead and subsequent clashes have killed hundreds more, but there has been no major fighting for months.
Growing international support for the Zapatistas and their struggle for the rights of 10 million indigenous Mexicans was evident during the march.
Foreign supporters, including high-profile individuals like former French first lady Daniele Mitterrand, have shadowed the Marcos caravan since it left Chiapas state last month.