Dump Truck Drivers Protest at Cancun Airport Bypass, Demand Local Hiring Priority

Cancun, Quintana Roo — About 50 dump truck drivers staged a protest Thursday afternoon on the Cancun International Airport bypass, demanding overdue payments, fair rates, and greater access to local construction projects.

The drivers, from Cancun, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, parked their trucks along the roadside and threatened to block traffic if authorities did not address their demands.

Most of the protesters called for respect for local concession holders and opposed the involvement of the Mexican Army (SEDENA) in state infrastructure projects, arguing it significantly reduces their job opportunities.

“We’re here with our trucks so our demands are heard,” said a representative of the drivers. “We want to work at fair prices, we want state law to be respected, we want the work of Quintana Roo residents to stay with Quintana Roo residents — we don’t want people from other states to come and take our jobs.”

The drivers also announced they would launch a caravan Friday at 7 a.m. on Federal Highway 307, starting at the Cancun exit and heading toward Tulum, with stops in Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen.

Representatives from the state government’s secretariat arrived at the protest site to negotiate with the demonstrators and seek a quick resolution to prevent the road from being blocked.