The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) reported that all federal highways in Zacatecas were reopened Thursday afternoon, after blockades led by farmers lasted for more than 24 hours and disrupted traffic to Coahuila and Durango, as well as mobility in the Bajío region.
According to the federal agency, the protesting farmers, who oppose the approval of the water reform in the Chamber of Deputies, decided to remove the blockades they had set up since the early hours of Wednesday, December 3, around 1:00 p.m.
“Traffic is now flowing freely on all federal highways in Zacatecas; there is slow traffic at the newly reopened points,” the SICT stated in a press release, also urging motorists and truckers to drive with caution in the coming hours.
Which points were blocked?
The blockades caused severe disruptions to the state’s main highways. Among the closed points were:
The Osiris tollbooth, which connects to Aguascalientes;
Villa de Cos, where traffic was halted in both directions between Saltillo and Zacatecas;
Jerez, on the road to Guadalajara; and
Calera-Las Palmas section in Fresnillo, on the route to Durango and the Comarca Lagunera region.
Truck drivers, delivery personnel, and passengers reported delays of several hours, while bus companies modified routes and canceled trips due to the impossibility of traveling through the state.
The blockades on Wednesday, December 3, originated from a protest by farmers against the imminent approval of the Water Law.
The highway blockades in Zacatecas caused significant delays in the arrival of buses to La Laguna, primarily affecting routes coming from Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosí, Guadalajara, and Zacatecas itself.
Transportation companies such as Omnibus de México reported delays and cancellations due to closures at key points such as Osiris, Fresnillo, Calera and Villa de Cos, which resulted in regional disruptions throughout Wednesday and part of Thursday.
Source: milenio
