Taxistas in Veracruz Face Rising Violence Amid Extortion and Murder

México – Violence against taxi drivers in Veracruz has surged in recent days, with extortion, threats, and murders becoming increasingly common. The latest incident occurred in Tuxpan on Monday when a taxi driver was shot. He survived the attack, but a hitman pretending to be a relative entered his hospital room the following day to finish the job. The driver’s father, Germán Cruz, who was accompanying him, intervened and lost his life defending his son. The targeted taxi driver was injured but managed to survive.

This incident took place just over 30 kilometers from Álamo Temapache, where a retired teacher and fellow taxi driver was recently found dead after refusing to pay extortion fees. Her story highlights the terror faced by transport workers in the region.

Germán Cruz was at Emilio Alcázar Hospital when he was killed. State prosecutors confirmed the details of the case. The first attack against the unnamed taxi driver occurred Monday afternoon in the Luis Donaldo Colosio neighborhood. Just days earlier, another driver was shot and killed on the Tuxpan-Cazones highway, while a passenger was left injured in the vehicle.

In July, Irma Hernández, a 62-year-old retired teacher and taxi driver, was kidnapped after refusing to pay extortion fees. Her body was discovered six days later on a ranch in Cerro Azul, and during captivity, she recorded a chilling video warning fellow drivers about the consequences of not complying with the Veracruz Mafia.

Four people have been arrested in connection with her case. Meanwhile, Jorge Néstor went missing after being kidnapped by a gang while driving near a primary school. The motives behind these attacks point to the Veracruz Mafia, a faction associated with the Gulf Cartel, which operates in municipalities like Tuxpan, Poza Rica, and Tantoyuca.

Taxistas (taxi drivers) in Veracruz are now demanding fare adjustments in light of this violence. Since Monday, they have staged protests across various municipalities, calling for better wages, security, and justice for their murdered colleagues. One female driver voiced concerns, saying, “We fear for our safety; we are single mothers. We no longer live; we survive.”

The Veracruz Mafia is known to extort drivers and merchants, and their operations have intensified over the years, claiming responsibility for numerous attacks and threats on social media since 2024. Their territorial control disputes with groups like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel have contributed to heightened violence in the area.

On July 6, President Claudia Sheinbaum and Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch launched a new national security plan targeting regions with the highest crime rates, including Veracruz. However, taxi drivers continue to face constant threats from organized crime as authorities struggle to curb the violence.