At least 26 trains have been halted by teacher blockades that went up earlier this week in Michoacán.

On Monday, teachers affiliated with the SNTE and CNTE unions blocked railroad tracks in Lázaro Cárdenas, Guacamayas, Nueva Italia, Caltzontzin and Pátzcuaro to demand payment of money they claim they are owed by the state government.

The blocked trains are made up of 2,288 railcars carrying cargo cars as well as 96 tankers of gasoline intended for distribution in the region to relieve fuel shortages resulting from President López Obrador’s strategy to combat petroleum theft.

Blockades were also set up in Tiripetío, Maravatio, Piedad and Yurécuaro, but were taken down on Thursday morning. The CNTE revealed in a conference that teachers are owed more than 7 billion pesos (US $366.49 million).

The president of Kansan City Southern de México old reporters that while he was not opposed to the protests, teachers should not block essential thoroughfares or cause damage to the local and national economies.

An official with the shipping company Maersk Line agreed and added: “We’re waiting for the government to resolve this problem; we’re not the ones with the power to negotiate.”

Source: Milenio (sp), El Sol de México (sp), Acustik Noticias (sp)