Nationwide protests by truckers and farmers began Monday,disrupting transportation and commerce across Mexico. The coordinated blockades, organized by the National Association of Transportists (ANTAC), the Peasant agricultural Movement (MAC), and the national Front for the Rescue of the Countryside, are aimed at pressuring the government to address concerns over roadway security, extortion by criminal groups, and dwindling support for the agricultural sector. Significant delays are reported on key highways nationwide, impacting travel and supply chains.
Roads across Mexico are blocked Monday as truckers and farmers launched a nationwide protest demanding government action on security, extortion, and support for the agricultural sector. The widespread disruptions are impacting major highways and access routes to cities, creating significant travel delays and logistical challenges.
The coordinated action began at 8:00 a.m. local time, with blockades set up by the National Association of Transportists (ANTAC), the Peasant Agricultural Movement (MAC), and the National Front for the Rescue of the Countryside. Protestors are calling for increased security on roadways, an end to extortion schemes targeting transport operators, and greater government support for farmers.
According to reports from roads and bridges operator CAPUFE, several key routes are currently closed as of 1:36 p.m. local time. These include intermittent closures on the Cuernavaca-Acapulco highway at the Palo Blanco toll plaza, and on the Mexico-Querétaro highway at the Palmillas toll plaza. The Mexico-Querétaro highway remains open in the direction of Querétaro from the Tepotzotlán toll plaza, as does the Querétaro-Irapuato highway from the Querétaro toll plaza. Reduced lanes are reported on the Mexico-Puebla highway near kilometer 19, heading towards Mexico City, and the Guamúchil-Guasave road near the Sinaloa bridge is completely closed.
The National Guard Highway division also reported additional closures, including a complete shutdown on a highway near Los Reyes Zacatepec in Tlaxcala, and partial closures on roads in Puebla near Santa Bárbara and near kilometer 108. The Chilpancingo-Acapulco highway is also fully closed near kilometer 288, and a highway in Durango is blocked near kilometer 222.
Protests began earlier Monday with partial blockades on the Vía José López Portillo in Ecatepec, State of Mexico, and on the Mexico-Toluca highway, partially blocking traffic heading towards Mexico City. CAPUFE reported the closure of the Mexico-Querétaro highway at the Palmillas toll plaza at 8:38 a.m., with no traffic permitted in either direction.
Partial closures were also reported on the Morelos-Pachuca-Tuxpan highway, and at the Calera toll plaza on the Zacatecas-Durango highway at 8:15 a.m. A partial closure was also confirmed at the El Tejocotal toll plaza on the Tulancingo-Huachinango highway at 8:53 a.m., and a partial blockade was reported on the Mexico-Pachuca highway towards the Felipe Ángeles International Airport at 9:00 a.m.
Organizers say the blockades are focused on key access points to Mexico City and other urban areas. Affected roadways include the Mexico-Querétaro, Mexico-Pachuca, Mexico-Toluca, Mexico-Puebla, and Mexico-Cuernavaca-Acapulco highways, as well as the Naucalpan-Ecatepec highway, Vía José López Portillo, Avenida Gustavo Baz Prada, Circuito Exterior Mexiquense, and Boulevard Lomas Verdes.
Beyond highway closures, the movement is also targeting customs offices and access points to major cities. Affected states include Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Mexico City, Sonora, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, State of Mexico, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Jalisco, Michoacán, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Baja California, Colima, Nayarit, San Luis Potosí, and Puebla.
Protest leaders say the action is a response to government neglect regarding road safety and conditions in the agricultural sector. They allege that cargo operators are frequently victims of robberies, extortion, and threats from organized crime, as well as from authorities. They also cite difficulties with transport documentation, including issues with plates, licenses, and inspections.
Farmers, grouped under the National Front for the Rescue of the Countryside, are demanding a development bank exclusively for the agricultural sector, guaranteed prices for crops like corn and beans, and the exclusion of these products from revisions to the USMCA trade agreement. They are also seeking formal recognition of agriculture as a strategic pillar of the nation and permanent protection mechanisms for rural producers.
Authorities have not yet announced a timeframe for resolving the situation, and organizers have indicated the mobilization could be indefinite until their demands are met. Travelers are advised to fill fuel tanks, monitor official sources and local media, consider alternate routes or public transportation, and reschedule appointments if possible.
Organizers have stated that the protests are peaceful and will not allow the involvement of external actors or political parties.
Regional Updates
In Coahuila, approximately 200 agricultural producers and walnut growers joined the protest against the new Water Law, blocking roads near Constellation Brands. In Chihuahua, farmers and truckers blocked the Zaragoza-Ysleta International Bridge in Ciudad Juárez and the Córdova de las Américas bridge, impacting cross-border trade. Activist Adrián LeBarón and former federal deputy Eraclio Rodríguez are leading the protests in Chihuahua, which also include closures on highways near Villa Ahumada, Galeana, Delicias, and Jiménez.
In Campeche, transport groups have not joined the national strike, citing attention from state authorities to security concerns. However, in Veracruz, truckers initiated a slow-moving protest on the Córdoba-Veracruz highway. In Durango, farmers are blocking the Pan-American Highway near Vicente Guerrero, as well as routes to Gómez Palacio, Mazatlán, and Zacatecas, protesting low crop prices and the proposed Water Law reforms.
Guerrero saw protestors take over the Palo Blanco toll booth on the Autopista del Sol, demanding increased government support for the agricultural sector. In Zacatecas, partial closures are reported, but traffic is still moving. Guanajuato is experiencing closures on five highways, including routes near Irapuato, Silao, and San Luis de la Paz. Finally, in Tamaulipas, producers are blocking highways near Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, and Tampico.
