CNTE Plantón Continues at Zócalo — 16 Alcaldías Affected as Teachers Entrench in Historic Center

The CNTE (Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación) encampment established at the Zócalo on May 25 intensified on Tuesday, May 26, as additional contingents from Chiapas and Oaxaca arrived to reinforce the sitting protest. The marching column again moved from the Ángel de la Independencia down Paseo de la Reforma toward the historic center, with blockades reported along Eje 1 Poniente and multiple secondary streets. The plantón affected roughly 10,000 businesses in the historic center perimeter, many of them small vendors, restaurants, and tourist services. The CNTE's core demands remain centered on opposition to the federal government's education evaluation system under the Sheinbaum administration, which teachers' leaders argue is a repackaging of the neoliberal 'Reforma Educativa' they defeated in 2013–2016. The union is calling for bilateral negotiation with SEP (Secretaría de Educación Pública) and the cancellation of mandatory performance assessments. The CNTE announced a major June 1 national mobilization at the Zócalo as a deadline target, with additional contingents from 22 states expected to converge on the capital.