Mexican teachers on strike to allow free passage on toll roads to capital

Teachers participating in a national strike in Mexico have announced a new phase of protest, vowing to permit free passage on toll roads leading to the capital. This measure, approved by the National Coordinating Committee of Education Workers (CNTE), is part of ongoing demonstrations demanding significant changes to the pension system and improved salaries.

The CNTE's membership voted to continue the national strike, which began on June 1, coinciding with the 2026 World Cup. The planned actions are set to occur on Monday, targeting key access points to Mexico City and extending across more than 20 states, from the southern regions of Oaxaca and Chiapas to the northern states of Sonora and Chihuahua.

This escalation of protests comes as the conflict presents one of the main political challenges for President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration. The teachers have maintained a protest camp in central Mexico City for weeks, engaging in negotiations with authorities. The CNTE insists on the repeal of the 2007 pension reform and salary increases, issues that President Sheinbaum had reportedly promised to address during her campaign. The union criticizes the president's refusal to meet directly with their representatives, despite weeks of stalled negotiations with federal officials.