Mexico’s militant teachers’ union, the CNTE, has set up a protest camp within blocks of Mexico City’s Zócalo — Latin America’s largest public square — where the FIFA World Cup Fan Fest is under construction.
With just nine days ahead of the tournament’s inaugural match on June 11, the group has escalated their public displays of dissatisfaction. On Tuesday, protesting teachers again blockaded Reforma Avenue, this time knocking down and vandalizing statues of soccer players made for the World Cup.
The CNTE’s current encampment along 20 de Noviembre Street followed the protesters’ failed attempt to enter and set up a sit-in within the Zócalo on Monday.
“We will win this fight no matter what it takes,” protesters could be heard chanting as they tried to bring down metal barriers protecting the entrance to the Plaza de la Constitución, the Zócalo’s official name.
“It’s going to fall, it’s going to fall… that fence is going to fall!” they cried.
In addition to the still-standing metal barriers, the public square is also guarded by hundreds of police officers due to the ongoing presence of the militant teachers, who have dubbed the World Cup “the bourgeoisie’s party.”
“This event will have to be suspended,” union leader Filiberto Frausto told AFP during the protest. “A cause like ours should be far above; it’s far more important than a bit of distraction and fun,” Frausto said, referring to the soccer tournament.
In the aftermath of Monday’s protests, the CNTE reported two injured teachers: one struck in the cheek with a metal rod and the other at risk of losing his eye after being hit by fragments of an explosive device.
Mexico City police have stated that they did not use rubber bullets or firecrackers.
Monday’s demonstration was called by a dissident group from the CNTE with a history of disruptive protests, which has threatened to summon “millions” of teachers to the capital during the World Cup if their demands are not satisfied by the Mexican government.
Beyond a 100% salary raise, the teachers’ union is demanding a review of education reforms and changes to the pension system.
When asked about Monday’s clashes between policemen and teachers, President Sheinbaum said that teachers have the right to protest peacefully and urged them to heed the calls from the Education Ministry to engage in dialogue and move forward with their demands. According to Sheinbaum, talks with CNTE representatives were scheduled for Tuesday, though an agreement has yet to be reached.
Meanwhile, the CNTE’s tactics are gaining more attention by the hour as international press corps arrive in Mexico to cover the World Cup. This afternoon, the president was forced to move a meeting with Spain’s Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo online due to Tuesday’s blockade. Cuerpo and his team, who are currently in Mexico City, were unable to safely travel to the National Palace, according to the EFE news agency.
With reports from El Universal, La Jornada and El Economista
