Mexico: Construction Work for Mayan Train Starts Despite Pandemic

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The state organization for tourism promotion (FONATUR) has announced the start of the construction work on the first section of the Mayan Train (Tren Maya) megaproject.

Critics fear that, in addition to the negative ecological and social impacts caused by the construction work, the local population will be exposed to health hazards, and have therefore filed a constitutional complaint in court.

The state Tren Maya megaproject is a 1,460-km railway that will connect the five southernmost Mexican states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo.

The hope is that the region’s economy will be boosted by tourism, freight, and passenger traffic.

The international tender for the first of seven sections was awarded to a consortium of five companies, consisting of one Portuguese, one Chinese, and three Mexican companies.

Despite the severe coronavirus pandemic and the protective measures that have been implemented, construction work has begun in Chiapas, eight kilometers from the city of Palenque.

However, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador seems to disregard the concerns of the locals, predominantly indigenous populations, as well as environmental and human rights organizations.

In February he claimed that the project would reduce emissions by 50 percent.

However, he has not yet commented on the constitutional lawsuits alleging human rights violations, which are currently being examined.

Last week, a further complaint was lodged by the indigenous organization CRIPX following a controversial survey conducted among local residents. The complaint calls for a temporary suspension of construction work due to the health risk it poses to the local indigenous population.

In rural areas, the pandemic has overburdened the health system, while the number of people at risk from pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure is particularly high.

The judge in charge of the case initially ordered a temporary suspension, which applies to the three communities of the Maya-Chol indigenous group (Palenque, Ocosingo, and Salto de Agua) and is in force until May 14th. The FONATUR state body, on the other hand, issued a press release stating that it had not been notified of the court’s ruling.

Romel González Díaz, spokesman for CRIPX, criticized the non-transparent nature of communications as a sign of totalitarian politics. He further noted that the measures imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic currently do not allow for protests and therefore only legal means are available to give voice to the indigenous population.