Transporter Union to Close Mexico-Pachuca Highway on March 11

The National Union of Federal Public Service Operators (SNOSPF) announced that its members will block lanes at the Mexico-Pachuca highway on March 11, 2024, at 7:00am, leaving only one entry lane to Mexico City at the Tecamac and Ecatepec Heroes interchange. The union says that the decision comes in response to the federal government's failure to address its grievances.

This announcement was made on Feb. 27 via Facebook by Saúl Torres Rivero, Leader, SNOSPF. A document obtained by MBN reads that, in a meeting held on Feb. 2 between union members and government officials, union representatives expressed concerns about alleged extortion by National Guard members targeting truck drivers on various routes, including Mexico-Piramides, Mexico-Pachuca, and Mexico-Tulancingo. They claimed that drivers were threatened with impoundment if they did not pay a sum of money. Additionally, SNOSPF highlights the reluctance of truck owners to file complaints due to bureaucratic hurdles and the nationwide dispersed nature of their operation centers.

Two agreements emerged from the meeting: the Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB) would facilitate working sessions to address the issue with the union's involvement, and the union, in return, would refrain from blocking toll booths and general communication routes on Feb. 5.

However, according to Torres, these agreements have not been fulfilled. He insists that the National Guard was supposed to assess road safety for truck drivers, a claim refuted by SEGOB. Before the union's announcement, SEGOB had mentioned that it would take a week or 15 days to schedule the meeting.

The heart of the matter lies in the escalating dangers faced by transport workers, with impound lots in Zumpango, the State of Mexico, overflowing with vehicles. Torres demands an audit to identify trailers wrongly placed there by the National Guard. He argues that the National Guard has evaded responsibility for reported thefts, leaving drivers without support. 

Torres, representing around 9,000 union members, tells MBN that the strike remains active despite ongoing dialogues with the National Guard. "We are tired of the so-called working sessions and dialogues because they serve no purpose; they merely appease us. The President refuses to acknowledge a grave error – removing competent personnel from the Federal Highway Police and replacing them with individuals who lack the necessary expertise," he says.

Torers further explains that "SEGOB told us they would respond within a week, but [the response] never came. The National Guard reached out to us and, last Friday, we attended a breakfast meeting with them, aiming to address the abuse of authority against our members. Only today, on March 5, did SEGOB contact us — all because we threatened to strike again."