Mexican teachers block an avenue during a national teachers' strike organized by the National Coordination of Education Workers in Mexico City on Tuesday. The CNTE union vowed to maintain their national strike indefinitely over their demands, which include a salary increase and a reversal of the current pension and retirement frameworks. Photo by Madla Hartz/EPA
June 8 (UPI) -- Thousands of teachers continue to block streets and maintain an encampment in Mexico City's historic center just days before the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as negotiations with the federal government remain deadlocked.
Mexican educators have sought to use the visibility of the tournament to pressure President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration for higher wages and pension reforms.
The National Coordinator of Education Workers, known by its Spanish acronym CNTE, reaffirmed Sunday that it will continue its strike indefinitely and intensify demonstrations in the coming days despite calls from the federal government to end the work stoppage, according to Infobae.
"There are groups that want to provoke the Mexican government and are not necessarily teachers," Sheinbaum said during her daily news conference. "What they want is repression. They want the national headline to be 'Mexico represses teachers.' They are not going to get that."
