Closure of the Villahermosa-Frontera Road Left 150 Trucks and Nearly 1,000 Private Vehicles Stranded, Causing Major Economic Losses for Businesses
Don José Luis set out with 500 seasoned chickens ready for delivery, but the blockade in Tamulté de las Sabanas left him stranded. Unable to preserve them, the entire shipment ended up completely spoiled that day.
NO ONE IS ANSWERING THEM
“I lost everything. My investment of nearly 50,000 pesos went to waste within a matter of hours. I had nowhere to take the merchandise, I could not fulfill the order, and there is no one who will reimburse us for anything.” His case is just one example of the blow caused by the three days of blockades in Tamulté de las Sabanas.
The figure includes losses suffered by food and perishable-goods merchants, producers, distributors, contractors, service companies, and transporters, who faced spoiled merchandise, damaged materials, canceled deliveries, additional expenses, and unfulfilled commitments.
MILLION-PESO LOSSES
Overall, the economic damage has reached as much as 20 million pesos, according to a survey conducted among transporters, private motorists, and representatives of several business chambers. Those affected said the losses are jeopardizing their economic stability.
In freight transportation alone, the closure of the Villahermosa-Frontera federal highway, which began on Friday, September 4, generated direct costs of around 6 million pesos.
DAMAGE TO TRANSPORTERS
For the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (CANACAR), the blockade represented operating costs of 1.8 million pesos. It reported 40 stranded trucks, with losses ranging from 45,000 pesos per unit over the three days.
Leonel Álvarez Cid, the delegate, said: “We have six companies registered that were there, but there were many more, many more units. With costs at the highest point of 15,000 pesos per day” in Tamulté de las Sabanas.
Of the remaining 110 units, 50% represented 2.475 million pesos in vehicle-related costs and 1.65 million pesos in expenses under 10,000 pesos; they totaled 5.925 million pesos, with detours of 400 and 300 kilometers.
THEY SUSPECT OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE IN THE ROAD CLOSURES
Discontent is taking hold among the drivers and transporters who were trapped in the Tamulté de las Sabanas conflict, despite the state government’s assurance that it had reached agreements with the area’s delegates to end the road closures. The continued obstruction has raised suspicions that something else may be behind all of this.
“It is wrong that the blockade continues if they already reached an agreement. Imagine the expenses we have for operators—those are unnecessary expenses.”
JOSÉ AGUILAR JIMÉNEZ, TRUCK DRIVER
“There has to be someone behind this, making sure they don’t lift it.”
CARLOS CARRILLO, TRUCK DRIVER
“I don’t know why the people became divided. Maybe there is some interest among them.”
ANTONIO GARCÍA, TRUCK DRIVER
“They should let people through at scheduled times. It affects us because of the waiting time. There is no food.”
LUIS GUILLÉN, TRUCK DRIVER
“I don’t know what the real reason is for keeping the blockade in place.”
OMAR ÁLVAREZ, TRUCK DRIVER
And Four More Blockades Were Added Due to Power Outages
A total of four blockades were reported this Sunday due to a lack of electricity. The first had reached its third day since Friday, September 4, with federal roads in the Tamulté de las Sabanas area remaining completely obstructed by a blockade.
IN PARRILLA
The second, in the Los Claustros area at kilometer 15 of the Villahermosa-Teapa highway, affected even participants in the Tour de France event in Tabasco. However, the blockade ended shortly afterward.
In the Casa Blanca neighborhood, 2nd Section, at Bridge 4, residents took to the streets and blocked the road after going several hours without electricity. Having received no response, they decided to shut down traffic to demand attention.
IN ACACHAPAN AND COLMENA
The last blockade reported was on the Acachapan and Colmena highway, near the Los Pinos neighborhood. Residents closed the road after power was interrupted early Sunday morning and they had gone more than 12 hours without electricity. Faced with the lack of a response, they blocked the roadway to demand an immediate solution from the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE).
Source: tabascohoy
