Mexico highway insecurity threatens lives of transport workers

Transport workers in Mexico are facing extreme dangers on national highways, where the threat of violence has surpassed the risk of cargo theft. Drivers report being subjected to armed ambushes, kidnappings, and even fatal attacks by criminal groups. New tactics include criminals ramming moving trucks to force them to stop for express kidnappings and vehicle dismantling.

Operators describe a climate of fear where stopping at gas stations or resting is no longer safe. Drivers have noted that criminal groups sometimes kill operators to avoid complications with law enforcement.

In response to these incidents, the Mexican government introduced the ‘Cero Robos’ (Zero Theft) plan last year. The initiative focuses on three critical routes—Mexico-Puebla, Mexico-Querétaro, and Culiacán-Mazatlán—which account for approximately one-third of all transport thefts nationwide. Despite the deployment of over 1,180 security personnel, many workers consider the institutional measures insufficient to address the scale of the problem.