Despite lawsuits and judge’s orders to cease and desist AMLO ordered the expropriation of private land for Maya train

1424

AMLO affirms that the project will be ready in 2023, despite the protections

Before taking office as President of the Republic, López Obrador assured that his government would not expropriate any land to carry out the construction of his work. “No land, no small property, no ejido is going to be expropriated,” he said in October 2018. 

Now he explained that this process would be carried out for reasons of public utility. Expropriation for reasons of public utility is defined as the act of authority by which the State deprives individuals of their assets for the fulfillment of a purpose of public interest.

“The expropriation of the assets of individuals (private property) is based on Article 27 of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, which establishes: expropriations may only be made for reasons of public utility and through compensation,” says the newspaper. Official of the Federation (DOF).

According to the Expropriation Law, some causes for this are the establishment, exploitation or conservation of a public service; the opening, expansion or alignment of streets, the construction of bridges, roads and tunnels to facilitate transit; the beautification, expansion and sanitation of towns and ports; the construction of hospitals, schools, parks, gardens, sports or landing fields, office buildings for the Federal government and any work intended to provide services for collective benefit; as well as the construction of public infrastructure works and the provision of public services, among others.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador assured that there are real estate companies that own land through which the Mayan Train will pass that “want to get rid of it”, so he ordered that the expropriation be enforced for public utility and be paid at their appraised price. 

In his morning conference, today in Quintana Roo, he stated that these companies do not accept our appraisals and  “are seeking to charge a lot for them,” which is why he ordered the expropriation. 

Likewise, the president assured that the works of the Mayan Train will conclude at the end of 2023 despite the injunctions filed, which are causing temporary suspensions in construction.

AMLO accuses that “they want to take advantage”

During a visit to the island, he stated that landowners think that because time is on them “they are going to put us against the wall.”

However, he assured that, even if it takes more time, he will leave this issue until the end and will ask the judges to resolve it as soon as possible in case they file more amparos for these expropriations. 



“They began to monopolize the land, to speculate, they are now real estate companies,” he added. 

“There are even cases where they don’t accept our appraisals and they want to get a premium price.

Expropriation of land for public utility

“I have already given the instruction that where there are these abuses, the expropriation for public utility is enforced and compensation is paid at the commercial price but no more, because they are advantageous.”

Regarding the amparos, López Obrador reiterated that they will ask the judges to resolve as soon as possible.

“We didn’t give up the first time,” he added.

Amparos granted against the Mayan Train

Yesterday, Thursday, a court granted, due to risks due to the collapse of aquifers, cenotes and underground rivers, a provisional suspension against the works of section 5 of the Mayan Train (which would connect Cancun and Tulum ).

This flagship work of the López Obrador government already had at least one other suspension, granted on April 18 to a group of cavers, according to local media.

“The train is not going to affect cenotes or underground rivers,” the president stressed today, adding: “That is an invention.”

AMLO accuses “hidden interests” of opponents of the Mayan Train

In addition, the president always argues that the people who are against the construction of the Mayan Train defend hidden interests.

“There are a series of interests that do not want us to advance in the construction of the Mayan Train.” 

” They are not the ejidatarios of this area, they are interests here, where there is more money,” he continued. 

“But we are moving forward and we will continue to do so, we have told the real environmentalists to talk to the people.”

“Sélvame del Tren”, campaign by Derbez and other artists against the Mayan Train

In recent days, the ” Save me from the Train ” campaign emerged, in which personalities such as Eugenio Derbez, Kate del Castillo, Omar Chaparro, Bárbara Mori, and Natalia Lafourcade participated.



López Obrador said at first that he hoped to meet with that group of artists, and although they invited him to discuss the matter in the area of ​​the suspended section 5 south, he invited them to the National Palace, where he lives.

The majority accepted the meeting at the National Palace, but the president informed after the suspension, as some publicly said they would not participate.

He announced that the same would be done in Section 5 from Cancun to Tulum, where there is opposition from environmentalists.

Despite the opposition and boycotts, he assured that the construction of the 1,500-kilometer mega-route will continue, which will pass through Palenque, Escárcega, Campeche, Mérida, Cancún, Tulum, Chetumal and again to Escárcega.”

The Yucatan Post