The field is planted: from broken dialogue to global threat
The scene was for an absurdist play. This Friday, the producers of the Mexican countryside turned around and left the Ministry of the Interior. There was no agreement. There was no progress. Just padlocks, chains and four months of conversations that, according to them, have led to nothing concrete.
“And this is a message for the government: The World Cup is coming, don’t be scared if this continues to grow (…). It is the government that is responsible for what happens from now on,”
Baltazar Valdez, from the National Front for the Rescue of the Countryside, said it clear as day. The warning is direct: if there is no solution, the 2026 FIFA Cup could be its next target. Their accusation is serious: they allege that resources that should go to the field are being diverted towards the mega sporting event.
Blocked access and crossed accusations
The frustration is palpable. They had an appointment scheduled, but they found the doors literally padlocked. From inside, they are told that they cannot receive such a large group. From the outside, the allied farmers and transporters respond that they have already organized.
“We already agreed that those of us who are going to participate in the dialogue are, at most, about six; three farmers and three of us,”
explained David Estévez from ANTAC. Their request is clear: more safety on roads, stopping ‘extensions’ and a better price for fuel.
But the conflict has already escalated beyond a negotiating table. Horacio Gómez, leader in Baja California, condemned what he described as aggressions by the Tlaxcala government against protesters last week.
The final message is dramatic. What began as a national strike of transporters and a peasant protest for their specific demands is now pointing to a world-class event. The federal government is playing with fire by underestimating discontent that no longer asks just for an audience, but for results. And it has a giant clock counting down to 2026.
