The CNTE Oaxaca 2026 officially confirmed the start of an indefinite work stoppage beginning Monday, May 25, accompanied by mobilizations, sit-ins, and potential road blockades across various regions of the state. The decision was approved by the Section 22 State Assembly following several days of union deliberations.
The announcement raised alarms in both Oaxaca and Mexico City due to the traffic disruptions that could occur during the protests. The teachers’ union agreed to implement an operational scheme known as “80/20,” under which the majority of teachers will remain within Oaxacan territory, while a smaller contingent will travel to the national capital to join nationwide actions.
When does the CNTE strike in Oaxaca begin, and what is Section 22 demanding?
The indefinite strike will formally commence on Monday, May 25, 2026, throughout Oaxaca. According to union agreements, 80% of the teaching membership will remain in the state conducting local protests, while 20% will travel to Mexico City.
During the first week—from May 25 to May 31—mobilizations will be concentrated primarily in the Oaxacan capital. Section 22 announced that it will carry out “forceful actions” to pressure the state government in response to what they characterize as insufficient answers to their demands.
Among the teachers’ main demands are:
Regaining administrative control of the State Institute of Public Education of Oaxaca (IEEPO)
Restoring the so-called “normative bilaterality”
Officially recognizing the Plan for the Transformation of Education in Oaxaca (PTEO)
Increasing the year-end bonus (aguinaldo) from 90 to 120 days’ pay
Integrating the “Welfare Measure” into the base salary
Settling pending payments to external advisors at normal schools (teacher training colleges)
The CNTE also warned that, in the absence of productive negotiation sessions, protests could escalate to include the occupation of government offices and toll booths, as well as strategic road blockades. The most significant traffic disruptions are expected in Oaxaca, as the majority of the protest contingent will remain within the state. Historically, protests by Section 22 tend to impact highway access points, toll plazas, and key administrative areas.
Areas and Roadways at Risk of Blockade
Oaxaca Historic Center
Oaxaca Zócalo
Streets surrounding the Government Palace
Access points to the Administrative City and Judicial City complexes
Toll Plazas
Huitzo Toll Plaza
Ventanilla Toll Plaza
Strategic Highways
Oaxaca–Cuacnopalan Highway
Barranca Larga–Ventanilla Highway
Trans-Isthmus Highway
Access points to Salina Cruz
Isthmus Region
Mixtec Region
Coastal Region
Bridges and Connections
Papaloapan Bridge
San Bartolo Bridge
Authorities anticipate significant disruptions on routes connecting Oaxaca with Puebla, Veracruz, and Mexico City—particularly at toll plazas where protesters have historically staged takeovers or intermittent closures.
Will there be CNTE Marches and Blockades in Mexico City?
Although the CNTE’s national strike will formally begin on June 1, mobilizations in Mexico City—featuring contingents arriving from Oaxaca—are set to commence as early as May 25.
The initial protests may concentrate in the Historic Center and in front of federal agencies such as the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) and the Secretariat of the Interior (Segob).
The roadways that could experience disruptions include:
Paseo de la Reforma
Avenida Juárez
Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas
5 de Mayo
Circuito Interior
Avenida Bucareli
Avenida Hidalgo
There is also a risk of disruptions to highway access points and toll booths near the capital, particularly on:
Mexico-Cuernavaca Highway
Mexico-Puebla Highway
Mexico-Querétaro Highway
Mexico-Pachuca Highway
The union’s plan includes establishing a permanent encampment in the capital’s Zócalo once the national strike officially launches in June.
Mobility authorities advise drivers and public transit users to stay alert to real-time traffic reports, as the protest routes could expand or change depending on ongoing negotiations between the teachers’ union and the state and federal governments.
Furthermore, the start of the 2026 CNTE Oaxaca strike coincides with the end of the school year—a period of high traffic volume on highways throughout southern and central Mexico—meaning that disruptions could be felt in both urban traffic and interstate travel connections. DJ
Source: ejecentral
