Increased gasoline prices in Mexico have protesters there blocking key fuel storage terminals, which is driving some Mexican residents to cross the border into San Diego County to buy gas.
“Tijuana gas stations are shutting down amid large-scale protests and blockades of Pemex supply centers, including a major facility in Rosarito, in response to Mexico’s rising gas prices,” KPBS reported. “Mexicans who can’t find a single open gas station in Tijuana are out of luck — unless they have a U.S. immigration status or dual citizenship, allowing them to cross the border and fill their tanks in south San Diego County.”
Pemex, the Mexican state oil company, told Reuters the blockades have led to a “critical situation” in at least three Mexican states — Chihuahua, Durango, and Morelos — and that operations of airports could be affected.
Mexico’s gas prices have jumped nearly 20 percent in recent days as the government has moved forward with deregulations of the oil industry, according to reports. Protestors have been organizing on social media using the hashtag #gasolinazo to refer to the gas price hike.
San Ysidro’s gas stations are seeing increased business from people driving vehicles with Mexican license plates, according to the KPBS report.
As one Rosarito resident told KPBS, “Let me put it in perspective. It takes me about 75 dollars to fill my tank, and my salary is less than a hundred bucks a week. So I’m spending all my money on gas, and I still gotta feed my child, I still gotta pay rent, I still gotta get to work. And it’s just not enough. Our government just doesn’t understand.”
