Mexican police block Ayotzinapa students heading to join teacher protests

Mexican police intercepted a convoy of buses carrying students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College, preventing them from reaching Mexico City to join ongoing teacher protests. The students were heading to the capital's Zócalo to add their support to the demonstrations organized by the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE).

The CNTE's protest, which has involved blockades of major avenues for nine days, is centered on their demand for the repeal of the 2007 ISSSTE law. The union argues that this law has negatively impacted the retirement conditions of Mexican teachers. They are also advocating for a return to a solidarity pension system, rejecting the calculation of pensions based on Units of Measurement and Update (UMA) and insisting on pensions being based on minimum wages.

The police intervention occurred at the Tlalpan toll booth on the Mexico-Cuernavaca highway, halting over ten buses. This action takes place amidst heightened activity in Mexico City, with the upcoming inaugural match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup scheduled for June 11. Despite the protests, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated during her morning conference that peace would be maintained during the World Cup's opening game.