Mexican Freight Truckers Launch Nationwide Strike Over Security and Costs

Freight truck drivers across Mexico initiated an indefinite national strike on Monday, October 26, prompting partial blockades and vehicle concentrations in numerous states and major metropolitan access points. The protests began in the early morning hours, featuring strategic vehicle parking and slow-speed caravans rather than total highway closures, according to official announcements and state government reports.

The mobilization was organized by several prominent transport associations, including the National Cargo Transport Chamber (CANACAR), the Mexican-American Federation of Transporters (Fematrac), the Honorable Mexican Alliance of Transporter Organizations (Hamotac), and the Integrating Organization of Conventional Rights (Indeco). Augusto Ramos Melo, president of CANACAR, stated, "It is necessary for Mexico to raise its voice, and we will seek dialogue to obtain forceful responses for the sector."

The primary grievances driving the nationwide protest include highway insecurity, extortion, poor road conditions, and the high cost of towing services and impound lots. Additionally, the guild voiced fierce opposition to a proposed amendment in the 2027 Revenue Law that would reduce the threshold for tax benefits under the Income Tax law, which workers argue severely worsens their financial standing.

Not all factions within the industry joined the movement. The National Transporter Association (ANTAC), led by David Estévez Gamboa, withdrew its support due to what it described as a lack of defined objectives. Meanwhile, regional discrepancies emerged, as state authorities in Sinaloa confirmed that local drivers would forgo road blockades in favor of a symbolic, orderly demonstration along designated routes to maintain citizen mobility.

The demonstrations impacted major transit routes connecting to the capital, including the Mexico-Pachuca, Mexico-Querétaro, Mexico-Puebla, and Chamapa-Lechería highways, as well as the Arco Norte bypass and industrial corridors in the State of Mexico. Infrastructure authorities and airport operators, including the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) and airlines like Aeroméxico and Volaris, urged travelers to anticipate delays and plan alternative routes to avoid missing flights.

State-level impacts varied widely. In Guanajuato, drivers gathered near Celaya and León, while in Michoacán, participants converged outside the Morelos Stadium before heading toward the historic center of Morelia. Similar concentrations and slow-speed processions were reported in Puebla, Veracruz, Nuevo León, Jalisco, and Baja California, while other regions, such as Colima, reported normal activity at local ports.

The Secretariat of Governance (Segob), headed by Rosa Icela Rodríguez, indicated that the majority of transport organizations had agreed to engage in dialogue, even as CANACAR leadership proceeded with the national call. Government officials and transportation authorities have recommended that motorists consult real-time updates from the National Guard and Federal Highways and Bridges (Capufe) before undertaking travel.