Truckers, taxi drivers and irate individuals in Mexico have blocked the main highways into Mexico City and major thoroughfares in the capital, as Mexicans continue to protest against the 14% - 20% hike in the government-set price of gasoline.

The protests started on January 1, when the gas price increase went into effect. In addition to blocking highways, demonstrators have also marched through the streets, looted shops and forced service stations across Mexico to close.

The price hike is caused by fuel shortages, which have been attributed to a number of factors, including pipeline theft, pricing and maintenance issues for state oil company Pemex, and speculation ahead of a shift to a competitive-pricing model slated for January.

Authorities haven't explained why pipelines thefts increased so dramatically in early December, but the government was forced to increase military patrols by 60 percent to combat the thefts, according to official estimates.