San Pablo Huitzo residents block toll booth over pollution

Residents of San Pablo Huitzo, Oaxaca, have occupied a toll booth on the Oaxaca-Cuacnopalan superhighway for a second consecutive day. The protesters are demanding that Caminos y Puentes Federales (Capufe) address ongoing environmental contamination caused by the toll infrastructure.

Local authorities and community members report that Capufe’s wastewater treatment plant has been discharging untreated sewage into the Cañada Corazón stream for years. This discharge is reportedly contaminating local drinking water wells and affecting nearby rivers, including the Atoyac and Salinas.

Jesús Cruz López, president of the Communal Property Commission, stated that the facility operates as a waste repository without proper maintenance or permits. In addition to water issues, residents cited poor sanitation facilities and trash accumulation along the highway as significant health risks. The blockade involves allowing only intermittent passage for private vehicles and may continue indefinitely until sanitation issues are resolved.