Members of the Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (CNTE), Mexico’s dissident teachers’ union, announced on June 20 that they will suspend their mobilizations in Baja California. The decision came after a meeting with Federal Education Secretary Mario Delgado during his visit to Tijuana.
The stand-down marks a turning point after weeks of teacher protests that disrupted public schools across the state. Baja California was among roughly 10 states affected by CNTE actions that began escalating in late May and culminated in a nationwide strike launched on June 1.
Weeks of Escalation Preceded the Agreement
The CNTE’s national campaign had grown increasingly disruptive throughout June. Teachers occupied parts of Mexico City’s Historic Center, took over toll booths on major highways, and briefly shut down the Oaxaca City airport on May 30. Clashes with riot police in late May left at least one teacher seriously injured.
The union’s core demands included wage increases, pension reform through the ISSSTE (Mexico’s public employee healthcare and pension system), and the reversal of education policies the union considers harmful to teachers. In Baja California, CNTE leaders were among those who traveled to Mexico City to participate in the national protests.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said on June 15 that her government would shift to a tripartite negotiation format involving the federal government, state governments, and the union. That approach appears to have produced results in Baja California, where Delgado’s visit to Tijuana led directly to the agreement.
What the Stand-Down Means for Schools
Public school operations in Baja California had faced disruptions during the weeks of protests, with teachers walking off the job to join demonstrations. The suspension of mobilizations should allow classes to return to normal schedules. It remains unclear whether all of the union’s specific demands were met or whether the pause depends on continued dialogue with federal and state authorities.
The CNTE operates separately from Mexico’s mainstream teachers’ union, the SNTE, and has historically been strongest in Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Guerrero. Its presence in Baja California is smaller but still large enough to affect school operations when members mobilize.
Parents with children in public schools in Tijuana, Mexicali, Ensenada, and other Baja California cities should monitor announcements from local school administrators for updated schedules. The story was first reported by Zeta Tijuana.