Hackers Disrupt Mexico Defense Ministry Website

Mexico City – Hackers claimed a cyber attack on the Mexican defense ministry website on Wednesday, posting a manifesto from the Zapatista rebel group for two hours.

The name of the group “Anonymous Mexico” was visible on the website in front of a black background, with phrases from the manifesto of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN).

The group MexicanH Team, which identified itself as part of Anonymous Mexico, said on Twitter that it had hacked and “defaced” the ministry website.

In another Twitter account, the group Anonymous Hispano, which uses the handle @anonophispano, claimed that “the entire content” of the defense ministry server was hacked and that it will be “released soon.”

The EZLN, led by Subcomandante Marcos, emerged in 1994 to defend the rights of indigenous Mexicans in the impoverished south of the country.

“Brothers and sisters, let’s raise our voices for a Mexico free of corruption, free of crime,” the message said. “Let’s show the world that were are one, we are every one. We are anonymous. We are legion. We don’t forgive. We don’t forget. Wait for us!”

The defense ministry issued a statement saying that its website was “momentarily out of service” but it did not explain why and did not refer to the hacking claim. The website was down some two hours after it was hacked.

The navy ministry was also temporarily down on Wednesday afternoon and its press office said in a statement that it was hit by “an attack denominated ‘denial of service.'”

(Updated 10:29PM ET)