Cancun, Mexico – Around a hundred Uber drivers staged a protest against Cancun International Airport, accusing its management of failing to comply with a court order that permits them to operate within the air terminal. The drivers, armed with a definitive injunction allowing them to provide services at the airport, claim they are still being obstructed and subjected to aggression, according to spokesperson Águeda Esperrilla.
The protest began at approximately 7 PM, with the Uber operators departing from Cancun and proceeding in a caravan along Colosio Avenue. The procession continued through each of the airport’s four terminals, under the watchful eye of the National Guard.
Upon reaching their destination, the drivers positioned themselves on the entry and exit shoulders of the airport, careful not to impede the free movement of other vehicles.
Esperrilla explained that their actions were driven by repeated incidents where “pirates,” or unofficial transport operators, have blocked their way when dropping off passengers, forcing those passengers to switch vehicles. In a particularly violent incident a few days prior, six individuals brutally assaulted an Uber driver.
Initially, the demonstrators intended to close a lane on the road leading to the airport terminals. However, Esperrilla noted that if the National Guard intervened, they planned to escalate their actions by blocking access to the airport entirely.
Esperrilla emphasized that the management of Cancun International Airport has consistently refused to allow Uber drivers to operate within the terminal, despite a court order definitively granting them the right to do so. This refusal has led to ongoing conflicts and obstructions, hindering their ability to provide services to passengers.
The protest underscores a broader issue of transport regulation and competition at one of Mexico’s busiest airports. The resolution of this conflict remains uncertain as Uber drivers demand the enforcement of legal protections and an end to the harassment and violence they face.