After Uber announced it had obtained an injunction preventing the National Guard from arbitrarily detaining its driver-partners at Mexican airports, which sparked negative reactions from transportation groups, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) explained that this does not mean they have permission to operate in these federal zones.
In response, representatives from the transportation sector and drivers clarified that the ruling does not allow picking up passengers in federal zones without the corresponding permits; it only prohibits authorities from making irregular detentions.
The issue has gained national attention, particularly at the Cancún International Airport, where conflicts between licensed transportation companies, ride-hailing platforms, and authorities have been frequent.
José Bizarro Galván, representative of Movimiento TOUR AC, welcomed the recent SICT statement, which indicated that the suspension does not mean Uber can operate freely at airports.
The Federal Roads, Bridges, and Motor Transport Law, in its Article 8, establishes the requirement for federal authorization to provide transportation at airports, ports, and other areas under federal jurisdiction, she commented.
“The law remains clear: to operate in federal zones, a permit issued by the SICT (Secretariat of Communications, Transportation, and Communications) is required. If the platforms do not obtain these permits, they cannot pick up passengers at airports. The ruling was solely intended to prevent acts of harassment,” she emphasized.
For her part, Águeda Esperilla, spokesperson for Uber drivers in Cancún, agreed that the court ruling does not grant permits, although she noted that it represents progress in protecting drivers from undue sanctions.
“The information has been distorted. No one has said that we already have permits to operate at the airport. What the judge ruled is that the National Guard cannot fine us, but that does not mean we can work in federal zones without authorization. The permits do not yet exist, and that will be a separate process,” she clarified.
Esperilla compared the situation to what happens at the state level, where no platform is formally regulated, but operates based on an injunction that prevents local authorities from sanctioning or detaining drivers.
“In Quintana Roo, we aren’t regulated due to a lack of political will, but we also can’t be harassed. We’ve been working under these conditions for years. Now, at the airport, the scenario is similar: we don’t have permits, but now there’s a court injunction that prevents arbitrary fines,” he explained.
Both representatives agreed that the underlying conflict lies in the lack of an updated legal framework that addresses the operation of digital transportation platforms in federal spaces.
Source: lajornadamaya
