Mexican truckers may strike if U.S. trucks gain entry

Mexican truckers said Dec. 11 they might call a strike if President Vicente Fox's administration allows U.S. trucks to enter their country freely beginning in 2003, thenewsmexico.com reports.

The president of the National Bureau of Cargo Transportation (Canacar), Manuel Gomez, wants the Fox administration to declare a "moratorium" on the transportation provisions of the North American Free-Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

At a press conference, Gomez said that as long as Mexican trucks were not allowed to enter the United States freely, U.S. trucks should receive the same treatment from Mexico.

The Canacar president warned that although a strike would have serious consequences for the country, Mexican truckers "cannot continue to submit to discriminatory U.S. laws."

"The last thing we want to do is paralyze the economy, since 80 percent of all merchandise moved depends on ground transportation," he explained.

Under NAFTA, Mexican trucks will only be allowed to enter the United States after passing safety inspections, obtaining insurance and when carrying maintenance records from U.S. firms. In addition, drivers will have to submit to drug and alcohol tests.

According to the Mexican government and Canacar, which represents 4,500 companies and 32,000 independent truckers, the requirements are "discriminatory."

Canacar statistics indicate that 30,000 of the 140,000 trucks it represents currently meet the U.S. requirements.