Uber and Didi drivers set up a blockade on 5ª Norte, at the corner of Pariente Algarín Boulevard, in front of Plaza Sol, following the operation carried out the day before on Belisario Domínguez Boulevard, in which seven vehicles were towed by crane.
The drivers reported that they did not receive a formal fine, only a towing ticket from the Sanper company, which they are targeting for review and audit, as it was responsible for transporting the vehicles and, according to them, has no relationship with the state.
The protest began around noon and caused traffic disruptions on the Northern Bypass and part of Pariente Algarín Boulevard, where dozens of drivers gathered to demand dialogue with state authorities and report abuses during the operation. According to the testimonies of two of the seven affected drivers, one of them was beaten.
We’re tired. Our colleagues were affected; their cars were towed and they were physically and verbally assaulted. The detention was illegal; we weren’t shown any violations here, just the tow trucks,” said Abelardo Gómez, a flatbed driver and one of the group’s representatives.
Another complaint is that the vehicles don’t have any fines; only the tow truck company “Sanper” issued them a ticket, so they are requesting an audit of the company. According to the protesters, the fines for the detention of the vehicles amount to between 30,000 and 35,000 pesos, amounts they described as excessive.
During the demonstration, the drivers demanded the intervention of Governor Eduardo Ramírez Aguilar and the President of the State Congress, whom they asked to open a dialogue table. “A few weeks ago, there was a meeting with the taxi drivers, and it’s not possible that they can’t accept us. We’re not asking for privileges, just to be able to work without fear of illegal operations or seizures,” the driver stated.
My detention was because a taxi driver cut me off, and the police arrived immediately. I asked them to tell me the reason, but they only told me it was an operation. Then a taxi driver hit me from behind for no reason and took my car without explaining anything to me. Jesús Roberto Muñiz
The protesters maintain that they have a federal injunction that—they claim—allows them to continue operating under legal protection. “We have a federal injunction and the support of our national president, Sheiva, who granted us insurance and legal documentation. We ask the authorities to listen to us and provide a solution,” Gómez explained.
The group insisted that their mobilization is peaceful and that they are not seeking to harm third parties. “We are not here to cause violence or fight. We are here in peace; we just want to work legally and for the unjust operations to stop,” the representative reiterated.
In an interview, Fabián Orantes Abadía, a representative of the Liaison Office of the Ministry of Mobility and Transportation, indicated that this operation is aimed at regulating platform vehicles following the new reform of the Transportation Law passed by the State Congress three months ago.
“We don’t have exact figures on how many units there are because they aren’t regulated, but here (Tuxtla) there are only about 4,000 to 5,000 units,” he commented.
He added that drivers should contact the Ministry for regulation. “When they come, they will be asked for their insurance policy, their registration, and to check that they are in order (…) the operation is to get them to arrive. They are not being deprived of their vehicle, nor are we against them working,” the official stated.
In response, Orantes asserted that there is no order in the registry, although they are already working on it and the units will likely be marked with a distinctive sign so it is known which ones are regulated.
The platform drivers reiterated that they maintain federal injunctions to be able to work. They also commented that no one informed them of the operation, and that despite requests for discussion tables prior to the law’s passage, they have not received any attention regarding how the operation should be carried out. Therefore, they asserted that they will not clear the road until an agreement is reached to release the seven impounded units.
The blockade, which began at the La Coneja roundabout, extended to the floral clock and is causing traffic jams in the northern part of the Chiapas capital, including 5ª Norte, Avenida Central, and the descent toward Caña Hueca.
Inside the Secretariat offices, representatives from Uber and Didi are participating in a discussion table with state officials, seeking agreements for the release of the units and a review of the operation’s procedures.
The protesters warned that they will maintain the blockade if an agreement is not reached. They also demanded that the president of the State Congress and state authorities establish a broad dialogue table and demanded that sanctions be applied in accordance with the law and in a transparent manner.
The conflict occurred on the day the new Mobility and Transportation Law of the State of Chiapas came into effect, which requires digital platform drivers to regularize their status with the Ministry and have valid permits and documents.
Meanwhile, hundreds of motorists remain stranded on the Northern Bypass and surrounding streets, waiting for the conflict to be resolved.
Source: oem
