This Thursday, leaders of the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE) attempted to tear down the fences surrounding the National Palace, where President Claudia Sheinbaum usually holds her morning press conferences and also resides. The teachers are seeking through these actions to pressure for a dialogue with the Mexican president, whom they demand the immediate repeal of the 2007 Law of the Institute for Social Security and Social Services for State Workers (ISSSTE) and the 2019 educational reform. The protesters, who arrived at the capital's Zócalo as part of a 48-hour strike, tried to knock down the fences with metal bars prior to the presidential morning conference, which caused moments of tension with the capital's police, who threw gas at them. The CNTE announced mobilizations in several regions of the country and a mega march in Mexico City, so hundreds of teachers began to gather at the capital's Zócalo from the early hours of Thursday. Last May, the Mexican government announced a series of labor improvements, such as a 9% salary increase for the teaching guild and more vacation days, among other agreements. However, the CNTE continues to demand the immediate repeal of the ISSSTE Law and the 2019 educational reform, as well as better conditions for rural schools.
