On Thursday, March 20, 2025, approximately 300 teachers gathered in front of the Government Palace in Mérida, Yucatán, to demonstrate against the ISSSTE Law enacted in 2007, demanding its repeal and that their demands be addressed at the federal level (ISSSTE stands for Institute of Social Security and Services for State Workers).
During the protest, tense moments occurred when police officers guarding the premises used fire extinguisher powder to disperse the protesters. The teachers, surprised by this action, ran to escape the effects of the powder. Faced with this situation, the movement’s leaders announced they would move the protest to the vicinity of Mérida International Airport.
This mobilization is part of a 72-hour national strike called by the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE), which has been joined by teachers from various states across the country. In Yucatán, approximately 3,000 teachers participated in marches in towns such as Ticul, Valladolid, Tekax, and Oxkutzcab, in addition to work stoppages at several educational centers in Mérida.
Teachers are demanding the repeal of the ISSSTE Law, arguing that it affects their labor rights and jeopardizes their dignified retirement. Their demands include retirement benefits for women with 28 years of service and men with 30, regardless of age; the elimination of the individual accounts and pension fund pension schemes imposed by the 2007 ISSSTE Law; and the return to calculating pensions based on minimum wages.
To date, state authorities have not issued an official response regarding the incidents that occurred during the demonstration or the teachers’ demands.
After the incident, state police reported that tear gas was not used, but rather fire extinguisher powder “to ensure citizen protection, maintain order, and facilitate traffic flow in the area” as protesters attempted to enter the Government Palace.
TYT Newsroom
