Mexico teachers' CNTE strike maintains protests, offers free tolls amid World Cup
The Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (CNTE) announced that on Monday, 15 June, teachers would allow free passage through toll plazas on the main highways entering Mexico City and would carry out similar actions in more than 20 states, including Oaxaca, Chiapas, Sonora and Chihuahua. The measure is part of a new protest phase aimed at pressuring President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government to repeal the 2007 pension reform, raise salaries and modify education policies.
The strike, which began on 25 May (officially 1 June), remains indefinite. Teachers continue a large camp in the Zócalo of Mexico City, where they have set up community kitchens and resting areas. Their demands have turned the protest into one of the government’s biggest political challenges, especially as the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws international attention.
On 17 June the protesters withdrew from the toll plazas after roughly three hours, reporting no serious incidents and allowing traffic to flow normally. The CNTE reiterated that it will keep its demands alive and may resume actions until a satisfactory dialogue is reached.