AMOTAC Threatens Nationwide Blockade After Many Trucks Burned

The Mexican Alliance of Transport Organizations (AMOTAC) is preparing nationwide highway blockades to demand greater security, saying that criminal attacks burned more than 200 trucks and killed six drivers. Business groups are urging companies to rely on verified updates, reassess routes, and activate continuity plans. Overhaul reports no new CJNG-linked roadblocks or vehicle burnings as of Feb. 25.

The Mexican Alliance of Transport Organizations (AMOTAC) says it is preparing for nationwide blockades to demand stronger highway security measures, following a series of attacks linked to a wave of road violence that followed a federal anti-cartel operation. AMOTAC reports that criminal groups burned more than 200 tractor-trailers and that six drivers were killed.

In a statement shared with MBN, Rafael Ortiz, Leader, AMOTAC, says the heaviest impacts were reported in Jalisco, Michoacan, the State of Mexico, and Coahuila, adding that the group will call nationwide highway blockades on a date yet to be announced.

The warning comes as business chambers and logistics groups push the government to restore safe mobility on key corridors after roadblocks and vehicle fires disrupted cargo movements across multiple states.

AMOTAC framed the losses as both a security emergency and an economic blow that smaller carriers cannot absorb. Ortiz Pacheco says insurers have told operators that vandalism-related events are excluded from coverage, leaving owners unable to recover their equipment. He estimates a single tractor-trailer can cost about MX$3.5 million (US$203,595), but said the worst loss was the death of drivers.

He also says AMOTAC is not planning to file complaints, arguing they “do not work,” and instead will “block the whole country” to demand security and the ability to keep working.

As of Monday, AMOTAC said some routes remained affected by localized blockades in parts of Jalisco, Colima, and Michoacan, particularly in the Tierra Caliente region. 

Business Groups Call for Caution and Verified Information

CONCANACO SERVYTUR, the national confederation representing commerce, services, and tourism chambers, says it activated monitoring and coordination with local chambers and security authorities following official reports of highway blockades and violence tied to a federal operation, with additional reports under verification in states including Nayarit, Tamaulipas, and Oaxaca, as well as in the Bajio region.

In a Feb. 22, 2026 bulletin, the confederation urged companies to check road status and logistics routes before dispatching cargo, activate business continuity protocols, and rely on official information only. It also advised the public to avoid blockade points and, in tourist zones, remain in hotels until further notice.

CONCANACO reports that the impact on commerce in the sector ranges between MX$1.5 billion (US$87.25 million) and MX$2 billion (US$116.34 million), and argues that reducing extortion by 10% to 20% could lower annual crime costs for businesses by up to MX$18.64 billion (US$1.09 billion).

The surge in road violence erupted after the killing of cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” in a military raid. The move was followed by highway blockades across several states and arson attacks against vehicles and businesses. There were also reports of flight cancellations to Puerto Vallarta and warnings for truckers to use safe routes or return to yards until conditions improved.

MBN reports that the blockades disrupted key freight corridors and triggered freight alerts from business and transport groups, reflecting the immediate operational shock to supply chains and last-mile replenishment.

In its latest weekly update dated Feb. 25, logistics risk-management firm Overhaul said “relevant events” were recorded during the week that could affect strategic routes and operational continuity in different regions of Mexico. However, the company added that it has not identified reports of roadblocks or vehicle burnings tied to the event linked to the CJNG criminal group that date, suggesting that conditions, at least in that specific pattern of disruption, were not escalating further at the time of its report.