Mexico President Sheinbaum confronts teachers' strike demanding 100% pay raise

Teachers represented by the dissident CNTE union have continued street blockades and protests across Mexico, demanding a 100% salary increase and the repeal of a new pension system that would eliminate state pensions. The strike began after President Claudia Sheinbaum announced she was ending negotiations, accusing the union of breaching earlier agreements. Protesters warned they will maintain their mobilisations and have set up camps in central plazas.

Morena senators have backed Sheinbaum’s plan to take government proposals directly to teachers, proposing a school‑by‑school consultation starting in August. They criticised the CNTE’s intransigence and cited recent damage to federal facilities and attempts to disrupt the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony. The senators argued that returning to the old pension scheme would jeopardise the national economy, and they emphasised the need to communicate the benefits achieved under the current administration.