Truck drivers in Cabo San Lucas staged a partial road blockade on Monday, April 6, demanding nearly four months of unpaid wages for hauling construction materials to a major infrastructure project. The protest, organized by the Confederación Autónoma de Trabajadores y Empleados de México (CATEM), targeted the federal Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) over broken payment promises.
The drivers have been transporting materials for the overpass under construction at the Glorieta de las Mujeres Libres, a key roundabout in Cabo San Lucas. They partially blocked the main avenue near the work site before lifting the blockade hours later. Lucía Sánchez, CATEM’s representative, said federal authorities had promised to deposit the owed funds by Monday but failed to follow through.
Dispute Dates Back to Mid-March
The truckers first began protesting in mid-March, when CATEM members launched a work stoppage and demanded roughly 10 million pesos (about $500,000 USD) in unpaid hauling fees from PLACOSA, the primary construction company on the overpass project. That earlier action led to a brief blockade near the Fonatur roundabout, which was suspended after local and federal authorities intervened.
The drivers stayed quiet during Semana Santa (Holy Week), which ended April 5. When the promised payments still had not arrived by Monday morning, they returned to the streets.
Overpass Project Still on Schedule, Officials Say
City officials have said the Fonatur overpass project remains on track to meet its original April 2026 completion deadline, despite the repeated work stoppages. Construction crews had been working at an accelerated pace before the strikes began, creating a time buffer. The city has a contingency plan to add overnight shifts if negotiations drag on further.
The overpass at the Glorieta de las Mujeres Libres is one of the most significant road projects in Los Cabos in recent years. It sits along the main corridor connecting Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo and the SJD international airport. During active construction, drivers heading to the airport have been advised to add 30 to 45 minutes to their travel times, especially during the 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. northbound commute.
If SICT continues to miss payment deadlines, CATEM has signaled that further demonstrations are possible. The story was first reported by Semanario Zeta.