Transport Workers Plan Blockades Over Unpaid Mayan Train Fees

The United Transport Workers Movement, responsible for transporting basalt material for the Mayan Train construction on sections 4, 5, and 6, has announced a road blockade on June 28 at 08:00 am, at various locations across the country. This protest is due to overdue payments for the past five months, amounting to over US$4.9 million.

According to Enlace de la Costa, Mary Flores, spokesperson for the United Transport Workers Movement, stated: "We are more than 500 transport workers who carry basalt for the Mayan Train from Veracruz and Puebla to Quintana Roo. We provided the service with our own resources, incurring expenses, including vehicle maintenance and material costs. The delay and lack of payment for over five months have left us in debt and without resources to continue working and support our families."

Flores also denounced acts of corruption, claiming that high-ranking officials from the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA) have awarded contracts and concessions to protected individuals. "We are concerned and questioning whether Almícar Olán is still behind all this in conjunction with SEDENA. The individuals in charge of the sections are Mario Acevedo (Section 7), Oswaldo Osorio (Section 6), and Gabriel Lomelí (Section 4) of the second phase of the Mayan Train. They now have contractors who have not paid us and are threatening and defrauding us," she adds.

The transport workers accuse Lino Romo Gómez, Ulises Ortiz Lozada, and Nicolás Plascencia of being involved in the refusal to pay. According to Flores, these individuals, in alliance with SEDENA, have monopolized the service and sidelined the affected workers. "For this reason, we demand payment and compensation for the damages this has caused us. We call on President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to deliver justice because more than 500 transport workers have been affected," says Flores.

Based on organization’s press release, the road blockade will begin at 08:00 am on June 28 at the following locations:

• Federal Highway 307 at the Tulum Airport junction

• Entrances to Mexico City at the Mexico Cuernavaca, Mexico Puebla, Mexico Queretaro, and Mexico Pachuca toll booths

• La Antigua toll booth entrance to Veracruz Port

• Chichen Itza toll booth on the Merida-Cancun Highway

• Vicinity of Cancun Airport

The organization mentioned that among the 130 cargo units expected to participate in the blockade are:

• 30 trailer units at the Amozoc, Puebla toll booth

• 20 trailer units at Section 7, Xul-Ha Bacalar

• 10 trailer units on Federal Highway 186 near the C4, on the Chetumal-Huay Pix road

• 10 trailer units on Federal Highway 307 at the Tulum Airport junction at 10:00 am