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MexicoThe standoff between taxis and Uber in Cancun worries the United States
The arrival of Uber services in Cancun arouses discontent among local taxi drivers.
The taxis had demonstrated against the arrival of the Uber service in October 2019 in Mexico City
AFP
The muscular mobilization of taxis against the arrival of Uber services in Cancun, one of the flagship cities of tourism in Mexico and Latin America, worries the United States, which warned their nationals on Monday. The tensions “were violent” and “American nationals were sometimes injured”, reports a “warning message” on the website of the United States Embassy in Mexico City.
30 million passengers at Cancun airport in 2022
“In light of the widely publicized security incidents in tourist destinations, remember that all destinations present a degree of risk”, insists the embassy, stating in passing that “homicides, kidnappings and thefts are frequent in the Mexico”. Local authorities have claimed that 30 million passengers will arrive at Cancun airport in 2022, a record year.
The arrival of Uber on this lucrative market has angered some 12,000 local taxis, who have multiplied threats and sometimes blows to the drivers of on-demand vehicles. As recently as Monday, taxis blocked the hotel zone of Cancun, Mexico’s tourist capital. The mayor of Cancun, Ana Patricia Peralta, has warned that she will refuse to have her city’s “image” and “security” tarnished “by a few”.
“Let’s forget the confrontations, take care of the inhabitants of Cancun and the visitors who trust us,” she added in a video on her social networks. On January 11, the company Uber was authorized by court order to operate in Cancun without prior request for a concession. Taxi unions denounce unfair competition.
(AFP)
