Cancun, Q.R. — At least 20 taxi concessions have been suspended due to the January road blockades in the Cancun Hotel Zone. The Secretary of Government of Quintana Roo, Cristina Torres, reported that approximately 20 taxi license plates/concessions have been suspended due to the blockades.
She said the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) of Quintana Roo is also moving forward with criminal proceedings against the alleged perpetrators. Without specifying a number of possible law suites, Torres said that the legal proceedings are up to the FGE.
She added that the Quintana Roo Mobility Institute (Inmoveqroo) is responsible for the administrative procedures to call those involved to appear and act accordingly. Torres said that while several of the concessions have been temporarily suspended, at least one could result in a permanent cancellation.
She confirmed, however, that investigations with the FGE and with Inmoveqroo have not been suspended and are moving forward.
On January 11, 2023, a Cancun judge declared Uber a private, not public company and granted them a right to operate in the state. After that announcement, Cancun taxi drivers took to road blocks in protest of the ruling.
They also began an aggressive hunt for, what they believed to be, Uber drivers. On several accounts in January, Uber drivers with passengers were intercepted by a mob of taxi drivers. The unionized taxi drivers demanded those passengers ride with them. Those who refused were left stranded.
In late January, due to the ongoing aggressive behavior, the U.S. issued a travel warning against the entire state of Quintana Roo specifying the risk for anyone wanting to use the Uber service in Cancun. Since then, the State has proceeded with the suspensions of operating permits of those involved in the ongoing conflict.
