A group of taxi drivers in Oaxaca denounced that state government authorities are trying to force them to join and pay “protection money” to a union for each parking space, as part of the traffic reorganization process initiated by the Ministry of Mobility (Semovi).
At a press conference held at the Congress of the Union in Mexico City, Ulises Victoria, a taxi driver for 25 years and a member of the taxi stand in the Vicente Guerrero neighborhood of the municipality of Villa de Zaachila, stated that the union they are being forced to join is involved in organized crime. The taxi driver did not specify which transportation union he was referring to.
“The government, in alliance with unions involved in organized crime, wants to extort money from us illegally, and we are not going to remain silent because we have an honest way of making a living, unlike these officials,” he said.
“As a concession holder,” he added, “I defend my colleagues who are having their routes taken away because these concessions are for public taxi service… We provide collective service for the benefit of the poorest people… We want our routes back so we can work honestly; we will not play into the hands of organized crime through their unions, which they themselves are forming.”
According to the taxi concession holders, the Oaxaca state government is demanding a monthly payment of 4,500 pesos for each parking space used in the new area designated by the Ministry of Mobility (Semovi) near the Central de Abastos (wholesale market) in the state capital as part of this reorganization process.
They also warn that the parking lot is located in an unsanitary area and is unsuitable for operation.
The group of taxi drivers also reported that they have been threatened for refusing to join a union, a move imposed by state government authorities. Because of these threats, he pointed out, many taxi drivers are afraid to report these incidents.
Finally, from the Congress of the Union, this group requested the intervention of President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo to reach an agreement and ensure that the transportation reorganization is carried out transparently, without any intention of “benefiting powerful special interest groups,” and that the reorganization program be implemented through a citizen consultation process, in which all sectors can contribute their opinions on the key elements for the model’s progress, rather than relying on ideas imposed without consensus.
The taxi drivers were accompanied by federal representatives from the Labor Party.
Source: eluniversal
