Under the slogan “Not one more peso” and “Let the price of the ticket go down, let the price of the ticket go down,” dozens of people marched through the main streets of Cuernavaca to demand that the increase in the public transport fee from 10 to 14 pesos be stopped.
This mobilization was called (by various civil organizations, including the Cuernavaca Collective, Colonias Unidad and the Morelos Civic Association “Gustavo Salgado Delgado”), in response to the formal request to increase the cost of the ticket by 40 percent made by concessionaires and leaders of transport organizations.
The concentration took place on Thursday afternoon at the Spire of the San José “El Calvario” Parish, located north of downtown Cuernavaca. It was mainly attended by senior citizens and young people. The contingent was led by a giant sign that read: “For the right to mobility. Not one peso more,” advanced slowly to the city’s Historic Center.
As they passed, a person with a megaphone in hand informed them of the reasons why they do not agree with the 40 percent increase: “Morelos has the second most expensive fare in the Mexican Republic.”
Some of the people participating in the demonstration carried signs that read: “Let the state government take charge of transportation! Cancellation of concessions! Three years ago they did not comply and now they want another increase? Enough! and! We do not want this junk anymore. No to the increase in fares, Enough!”
Upon reaching the first square of the city, Gabriel Rivas Ríos, member of the Morelos Civic Association, expressed his firm rejection of the adjustment in the minimum fare for public transportation, pointing out the lack of compliance with previous commitments by the concessionaires.
“If they don’t improve the units, the government should cancel their concessions,” Rivas said in an interview, emphasizing the organization’s dissatisfaction with the recent increase in fares.
“They haven’t even respected the agreements that were established during the last increase, in which the concessionaires promised to improve the transport units, but we continue to see the same junk as before,” he added.
Rivas stressed that his association’s position is clear: “There should not be even a fifth of an increase in transport. They should improve the units and, if they don’t, the government should cancel their concessions.”
Finally, she stressed that the state governor is the only authority with the power to take action in this regard, since “he is the one who grants the concessions and has the obligation, according to the law, to ensure that the commitments are fulfilled.”
The march ended with a rally in the Plaza de Armas, located in front of the Government Palace, the official headquarters of the Executive Branch, and among the expressions of some citizens who attended, they considered that transportation has ceased to be public and has become a business for a few.
Governor-elect hopes that the current governor will comply
The request for an increase in the fare for public transportation is due to the rise in the price of supplies such as gasoline, diesel and spare parts necessary for the routes and buses and above all “because it was a promise made by Governor Cuauhtémoc Blanco three years ago,” according to the transportation leaders.
In this context, the governor-elect, Margarita González Saravia, called on the current governor, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, to fulfill the promise of increasing the public transport fare, a commitment that, according to her, was assumed at the beginning of his administration. “The issue of the fare, of the increase in the transport fare, was a promise of the current government. We hope that they fulfill it, as was discussed at the beginning of this government with the transporters,” said Saravia.
In addition, the governor-elect stressed the importance of maintaining a constant dialogue with the sector, especially in the context of the digitalization of transport services.
“We will not hesitate to continue the ongoing dialogue, because one of the main objectives for us in the state of Morelos is the digitalization of all transport services, the banking of payments in the transport service and improving, of course, the quality of transport for all citizens,” she added.
Interviewed on the matter, Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo, governor of Morelos, denied having made any commitment to the transporters to adjust the minimum rate.
“I have never, ever said that. On the contrary, we have helped them very well. We have put up with many things, and the day they want, we will show them,” said Blanco.
The governor said that his government has provided support to the transporters through financing, training and the forgiveness of fines and surcharges.
“So, they cannot complain. And if they insist, they should put up with it because we will not have time,” he said with determination.
Blanco also emphasized that he does not intend to leave the problem to the governor-elect, but that it will be necessary for her to negotiate a viable solution with the transporters:
“Now they have to sit down with her, because in the end they must reach an agreement.”
Source: lasillarota
