TIJUANA.- According to El Mexicano, a commercial union group is planning on protesting at the border today, February 26, 2015, starting at 9:00 am with the goal of blocking the border completely.
Other members of the business sector are asking police forces to intervene to prevent the border from being blocked, as they state this would have a negative impact on both commercial and tourist activities, and is not the right way to go about business. Nevertheless, the groups behind the protest maintain that they plan on blocking the border today from Tijuana all the way to Chihuahua. The plan includes blocking the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa port of entry.
The Confederation of United Merchants of the Border Zone (CCUFF in Spanish), the group planning on blocking the border, is protesting the high cost of importation of vehicles, which they claim, makes it hard for residents that can't afford to buy new vehicles to purchase low cost used vehicles. The ripple effect, they say, extends to junk yards, mechanics, window repair shops, and other businesses that thrive on the importation of used vehicles.
In addition to high import tariffs, importers are limited to car models assembled in Canada and the U.S. between 2006 and 2007, as well as other tough requirements. Importers claim that the government's list of car prices that must be used to base the tariff on are not correct, and can list a car worth $4,500 dollars for values as high as 13,000 dollars.
Calls for renewed dialogue with federal authorities that enacted the high cost of importation are being proposed as an alternative to the protest at the border, which local business groups claim will have a severe impact in this region. But the union claims they have already visited with authorities in Mexico City on five occasions with no results to show for it.
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