Striking teachers opened toll booths on the Tijuana-Ensenada scenic highway on Thursday, June 5, allowing drivers to pass without paying at three toll plazas. The action is part of an indefinite national strike now in its fifth day, and it comes one day after the same group blocked the El Chaparral border crossing for two hours.
Teachers affiliated with the CNTE (Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación, or National Coordinator of Education Workers) opened the toll plazas at Playas de Tijuana, Playas de Rosarito, and San Miguel. Drivers passed free of charge until approximately 2:00 p.m.
Strike Demands and No End Date in Sight
Gerónimo Castro Fuentes, the CNTE’s municipal coordinator in Tijuana, said the toll booth action is part of a national plan of escalating pressure on the federal government. The union is demanding the repeal of the 2007 ISSSTE (Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado) pension law, which shifted government workers from defined-benefit pensions to individual retirement accounts. Teachers also want a direct negotiating table with President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Strike leader Marco Antonio Pacheco said there is no fixed end date for the work stoppage. The duration depends entirely on the federal government’s response. Castro Fuentes added that CNTE state leadership planned to meet after Thursday’s action to define next steps for Baja California.
Border Crossing Blocked the Day Before
On Wednesday, June 4, the same group blocked the El Chaparral border crossing for two hours, halting southbound traffic from San Diego into Tijuana. El Chaparral is one of two main pedestrian and vehicle crossings between San Diego and Tijuana, alongside San Ysidro.
The Tijuana-Ensenada toll road, officially Federal Highway 1D, runs about 100 kilometers (62 miles) along the Pacific coast. It is the primary route for expats and tourists driving between the two cities, preferred over the slower free road (Highway 1) for its ocean views and faster travel times. Tolls on the route typically run around 44 pesos (roughly $2.20 USD) per booth.
This Is Not the First Time
The CNTE has used toll booth openings as a protest tactic repeatedly in 2025 and 2026. In March 2026, a 72-hour CNTE strike blocked the Playas de Tijuana toll plaza, the Tijuana-Tecate highway, and the San Ysidro Port of Entry. That action caused severe delays for cross-border commuters and travelers heading to Rosarito and Ensenada. The pattern of escalation, with actions targeting both toll roads and border crossings, has become a signature of the union’s Baja California strategy.
Drivers heading south from Tijuana to Rosarito or Ensenada can use the free road (Highway 1) as an alternative if future toll booth actions occur, though travel times are significantly longer. Further actions were planned for June 6.
This story was first reported by Punto Norte.