Five members of a North-American religious group distributing food aid in the Mexican state of Chiapas have been detained and ordered to leave the country.

The five members of the Chicago-based Pastors for Peace group were said by the authorities to have visited a village not covered by their visa application, thus contravening regulations brought in earlier this year.

The police in Chiapas have also arrested three Italian tourists, whom they accuse of illegally participating in Mexican politics during a visit to the state.