Members of the National Coordinator of Education Workers, known as the CNTE, have occupied four toll booths to allow motorists free passage [1].
This unusual form of protest targets government revenue and infrastructure to force a resolution to ongoing labor disputes. By bypassing toll collections on major arteries, the union aims to disrupt state finances while avoiding the public backlash typically associated with road blockades.
The mobilization follows more than 10 days of protests, including sit-ins and blockades [1]. The union members moved to toll booths on four specific highways [1] that connect Mexico City with the cities of Puebla, Toluca, Cuernavaca, and Pachuca [1, 2].
Rather than stopping traffic, the demonstrators are facilitating the movement of vehicles. This strategy serves as a pressure measure within the broader teacher's movement against the government [1, 2]. The action targets the critical transit points that link the capital to the states of Puebla, Mexico, Morelos, and Hidalgo.
The CNTE has utilized various tactics over the last two weeks to draw attention to their demands. While previous days involved traditional blockades, the current shift toward providing free passage represents a tactical change in their approach to civil disobedience.
Authorities have not yet detailed the total loss in toll revenue resulting from the action. The union has not specified the duration of this specific mobilization, though it remains part of a larger series of demonstrations that began earlier this month [1].
“The CNTE mobilizes at four major highways connecting Mexico City to neighboring states.”
The CNTE's decision to grant free passage instead of blocking roads is a calculated move to maintain public sympathy while still causing financial harm to the state. By disrupting toll collection on four of the most heavily trafficked routes entering Mexico City, the union is leveraging economic sabotage as a tool for political negotiation.
