Mexico's President Sheinbaum Vows No Repression as Teachers' Union Protests Ahead of World Cup

President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the government will not resort to repression despite heightened actions by the Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (CNTE). She warned that some groups seek to provoke unrest before the World Cup inauguration, but pledged to ensure a peaceful opening of the tournament.

The CNTE has intensified protests, demanding the repeal of the 2007 ISSSTE law and recent education reforms. Demonstrations have included blockades in Mexico City and Oaxaca, a protest at Oaxaca International Airport, and a strike at a Pemex plant. Authorities seized 59 homemade fireworks used by the protesters and called for calm, urging the union to pursue its demands through dialogue without affecting schools, commuters, or World Cup events.