A strike by the Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (CNTE) blocked access to Mexico City's Centro Histórico on May 22, 2024.
The disruption highlights the tension between labor demands in the education sector and the economic stability of the city's primary commercial hub. By occupying the area around the Palacio Nacional, the protesters effectively severed the connection between thousands of employees and their workplaces.
Approximately 60,000 employees were unable to reach their jobs due to the plantón [1]. The blockade caused significant operational failures for local businesses, with some reports indicating more than 11,000 affected commerces [2]. Other estimates from business leaders suggest the scale of the disruption was even larger.
Gerardo Cleto, president of Concomercio Pequeño, said, "Hay alrededor de 15 mil establecimientos cerrados" [1].
These closures resulted in severe financial impacts for the region. Business owners reported economic losses exceeding 800 million pesos [1]. The strike was organized as a general teachers' strike to demand improvements within the education sector [1].
While some areas near the Palacio Nacional were reported clear at certain points, the broader plantón continued to obstruct the Centro Histórico [3]. Vicente, president of Canaco CDMX, said the protests persisted throughout the day and impacted the commercial sector.
“60,000 employees were unable to reach their jobs due to the plantón.”
The scale of the economic damage—exceeding 800 million pesos—demonstrates the strategic leverage the CNTE holds by targeting the Centro Histórico. By paralyzing the city's commercial heart, the union transforms a labor dispute into a public crisis, forcing the government to balance the demands of educators against the financial viability of thousands of small businesses.
