Teachers Union Blocks Oaxaca Airport Access in Escalating Protest

Oaxaca travelers faced disruptions this week as teachers from the CNTE union blocked the main road leading to the Oaxaca International Airport, the latest escalation in a protest movement that began May 25 and has been growing in intensity across southern Mexico.

Members of Section 22 of the Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educacion (CNTE) set up blockades on Calle De Colosio, the primary access road connecting the city to the airport terminal. While the teachers did not block pedestrians from walking in or out of the terminal on foot, vehicle traffic was halted completely. Passengers arriving by car or taxi had to find alternate routes or walk the final stretch to catch their flights, creating confusion for travelers unfamiliar with Oaxaca's layout.

The airport administrator, Jorge Carlos Campos Romero, confirmed this was the third time teachers have demonstrated at the terminal in recent weeks. Despite the disruptions, airport operations have not been suspended and flights continued to operate normally, providing some reassurance to worried travelers planning trips to the popular destination.

Alongside the airport blockade, the teachers also took over a toll booth on the Oaxaca-Mexico superhighway at the Oaxaca-Cuacnopalan section. At that location they chose to let vehicles pass through freely after a brief demonstration, minimizing disruption for drivers traveling between Oaxaca and central Mexico. The selective approach to disruption is a common CNTE tactic designed to apply maximum pressure where it hurts most while maintaining public sympathy for their cause.

The most significant action came at Pemex facilities. The union occupied the Terminal de Administracion y Despacho (TAD) of Petroleos Mexicanos, setting up a permanent encampment with tents and supplies to prevent any operations at the facility indefinitely. This terminal distributes fuel to gas stations across Oaxaca City and surrounding municipalities, raising serious concerns about potential fuel shortages if the takeover continues. Local residents and businesses are watching the situation with growing unease.

The CNTE, one of Mexico's most powerful and best-organized teachers unions, launched its latest wave of protests on May 25 in Oaxaca before expanding nationally on June 1. The union has a long history of using blockades and facility takeovers to pressure the federal government on education policies, teacher pay and working conditions. Their tactics have included highway blockades, toll booth takeovers and extended occupations of government buildings and public plazas.

For international travelers visiting Oaxaca during the summer season, the airport blockade adds a challenge. The city is a major tourism destination known for its stunning colonial architecture, world-class mezcal distilleries, vibrant food scene recognized by UNESCO and the nearby Monte Alban archaeological site. Visitors heading to or from the airport should allow extra travel time and arrange transportation that can handle blocked roads. The union has signaled it intends to maintain pressure until its demands are addressed, meaning continued disruptions are likely. For now, the airport remains operational and flights are running, but the situation remains fluid.