MEXICO CITY (CNN) - After a four-day, 600-mile trek across
                      Mexico designed to draw renewed attention to their cause,
                      Zapatista guerrillas arrived in Mexico City on Friday, hoping to
                      rekindle peace talks and improve their political fortunes.

                      The bus caravan -- carrying 1,111 unarmed, but masked, rebels
                      and hundreds of supporters -- arrived in the capital's Xochimilco
                      district, following a trail blazed in 1914 by their namesake, Gen.
                      Emiliano Zapata, a hero of the Mexican Revolution.

                      Not among them, though, was the Zapatistas' charismatic leader,
                      Subcommandante Marcos.

                      More than 4,000 supporters, waving Zapatista banners and
                      chanting slogans, greeted the predominantly Mayan Indian rebels,
                      who are demanding full rights for all of Mexico's Indians and an
                      army withdrawal from Chiapas state.

                      "The government has tried to cheat us and intimidate us with its
                      army, but we won't give up," a rebel called Comrade Carlos told
                      the gathering. "The presence of the Zapatistas in Mexico City is to
                      show Mexico and the world that the government doesn't respect
                      the rights of the people."

                      Prominent human rights activist Rosario Ibarra was among the
                      crowd that waited hours to greet the Zapatistas.

                      "I feel very emotional over their arrival in peace and dignity," she
                      said.

                      The Mexican government did not try to impede the march into the
                      capital.

                      "They're welcome, and we hope everything comes off without
                      incident," said Defense Minister Enrique Cervantes.

                      Interior Secretary Emilio Chauyffet said he hoped the presence of
                      the Zapatistas in the capital would be a step toward settling their
                      conflict with the central government.

                      The Zapatista movement rose up on New Year's Day 1994,
                      demanding greater rights, land and jobs in Chiapas, one of
                      Mexico's poorest states. More than 145 people died in 10 days of
                      fighting that grabbed Mexico's attention and imagination.

                      But as peace negotiations have sputtered, the Zapatistas' fight has
                      slipped from the national agenda. The march was designed to draw
                      renewed attention to the movement.

                      "Zapata lives. The fight goes on," supporters chanted as the
                      horn-honking caravan pulled into the outskirts of Mexico City.

                      The rebels started their march on Monday, picking up supporters
                      with stops in Chiapas, Oaxaca, Puebla and Morelos states.
                      Crowds greeted them at each stop on the way in their first mass
                      foray outside Chiapas.

                      Just before arriving in Mexico City, the caravan stopped in San
                      Pedro Atocpan, where the rebels were met by 2,000 peasants
                      who offered their support.

                      The rebels planned to camp in the capital throughout Mexican
                      Independence Day celebrations Monday and Tuesday. It was
                      unclear if a delegation would meet with government officials.

                      Reuters contributed to this report.