Mexico - How environmentally friendly is the new Mayan Railway?
Even the name is misleading: Tren Maya. The Mayan Train. The new 1500-kilometer railroad line runs right across the Yucatán Peninsula, through the second largest rainforest in Latin America. One section will be opened this week. However, the descendants of the Maya want little to do with the Mexican government's mega-project.
The route in eastern Mexico is intended to connect the Caribbean cities of Cancún and Playa del Carmen with the Mayan archaeological sites and further boost the economy in the poor region. This is the plan of left-wing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has a penchant for large-scale projects. Deutsche Bahn has also helped with the development.
At least 25 court cases against the project
However, the 20 billion euro high-speed train will primarily benefit the three million tourists a year from the USA, Canada and Europe, who are already overloading the ecologically sensitive area. Nine million trees had to be felled for the construction, after the president had boldly announced: "Not a single tree will be felled." Scientists warn of serious environmental damage in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where ancient pyramids lie overgrown by rainforest. It is home to most of Central America's surviving jaguars and dozens of endangered birds and reptiles.
At least 25 court cases have been brought by opponents of the project, without success. "The government promised us the best things," says Sara López Gonzaléz, a representative of the region's indigenous council, "but the opposite will happen. This is a mega-project of death. Ecocide." López was arrested for her protest. Mexico is considered the most dangerous country in the world for environmental activists.
Because President López Obrador dislikes any resistance, he quickly declared the Tren Maya a "national security project" and deployed the army "for protection". As a result, 3,000 families have already been evicted from their homes along the route.
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The Tren Maya, or Mayan Railway, is a controversial 1500-kilometer railroad line that runs through the Yucatán Peninsula and Mexico's second largest rainforest. Despite the project's potential to boost the economy in the region, it has faced opposition from indigenous groups, who argue that it will lead to environmental damage and ecocide. Headlines have been filled with the top message that the new train line, which is set to connect Caribbean cities and Mayan archaeological sites, will primarily benefit tourists and may cause significant harm to the environment and local communities.
Source: www.stern.de
