Oil spills have become a growing concern in Mexico. It’s not just about material damage or technical failures: behind each incident are affected ecosystems, impacted communities, and, in some cases, lost human lives.
Under the governments led by Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Claudia Sheinbaum, the problem has not only persisted, but has accumulated into incidents that have left a mark on the collective memory.
Official data also reflects the magnitude of the problem that fuel spills have become:
According to public information obtained through the National Transparency Platform, Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) reported at least 22 moderate and severe incidents registered at the Emergency Coordination and Support Center (CCAE) that could have environmental implications.
The company clarified that these reports do not include clandestine taps and that the incidents are reported as a precautionary measure.
This issue leaves a significant stain on Mexico’s history during these six-year terms of the current administration; that’s why here at Nación321, we’re reminding you of the episodes that have caused the most damage:
In July 2021, during the administration of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the Gulf of Mexico presented a shocking image. A fire in an underwater pipeline caused the sea to literally burn off the coast of Campeche.
The phenomenon, dubbed the “Eye of Fire,” showed a circle of flames on the water, fueled by a gas leak at Pemex facilities. Although there were no human casualties, the event raised international concerns about the risks of oil infrastructure.
Authorities downplayed the environmental damage, but specialists warned that this type of incident can have catastrophic effects on marine ecosystems, from pollution to alterations in wildlife.
VERACRUZ 2025: WHEN OIL FLOWED THROUGH THE RIVERS
In October 2025, another spill exposed the fragility of the system. On the Poza Rica–Madero pipeline in Veracruz, a landslide caused by heavy rains ruptured the infrastructure, releasing crude oil that spread for kilometers.
The oil flowed down the Pantepec and Tuxpan rivers, contaminating water, crops, and entire communities.
🚨 Derrame en la cuenca del Tuxpan. Una fuga en el ducto Poza Rica–Madero provocó el derrame de hidrocarburo en el río Pantepec, que se extendió varios kilómetros. Pemex reporta >180,000 litros recuperados.#Semar y #Pemex mantienen operativo de contención y limpieza. #Veracrúz pic.twitter.com/cQ1882JWzM
— QuéCosa!Noticias (@QueCosaNoticias) October 22, 2025
Pemex reported the recovery of more than 2.7 million liters, but the total volume spilled was never specified. While the company attributed the incident to the rains, reports also surfaced about maintenance failures and corrosion in the pipeline.
The consequences were immediate: economic losses, a shortage of drinking water, and protests from residents who denounced an inadequate response.
2026: A SERIES OF INCIDENTS IN DOS BOCAS
López Obrador kept saying the Dos Bocas Refinery was the “salvation” of Mexico’s oil industry. He promised it would make the country self-sufficient in hydrocarbons, that with minimal investment it would produce thousands of barrels a day in a short time, that gasoline prices would decrease, and that it would benefit the surrounding population with jobs, progress, and well-being.
But the reality is entirely different; in fact, it is totally opposed to everything the native of Tabasco promised.
The investment was exorbitant. Mexico is far from being self-sufficient in hydrocarbons. Gasoline prices continued to rise. The refinery is not producing, and the environmental and public health problems faced by the residents of Paraíso, Tabasco, the town adjacent to the refinery, have never been so severe.
The operation of Dos Bocas during the first year of the Sheinbaum administration has been catastrophic. In March 2026, at least three hydrocarbon-related incidents were recorded in that area of Tabasco in less than a month.
These included a fire that left five people dead, spills on the Gulf Coast, and the recent detection of polluting waste near the Dos Bocas refinery, also known as the Olmeca Refinery.
La versión oficial sobre Dos Bocas empieza a hacer agua.
— Enrique Muñoz (@enriquemunozFM) March 19, 2026
No fue un rayo.
No fue la lluvia.
Y no pasó “afuera” de la instalación.
Lo que muestra el video que ya circula es otra cosa:
un vehículo prende fuego dentro del predio y las llamas avanzan con rapidez por la enorme… pic.twitter.com/7GwKxe5KHL
Pemex confirmed the situation and detailed: “The Mexican government is maintaining an inter-institutional response operation following the detection of hydrocarbons near Dos Bocas, Tabasco, with the participation of the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar), the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), the Federal Attorney General’s Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa), and the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development of Tabasco (Semades).”
So far, 240 kilograms of material impregnated with crude oil have been collected, while containment efforts continue.
Meanwhile, another spill in the Gulf of Mexico—allegedly caused by a private vessel—even led to the intervention of the Attorney General’s Office, as it is considered a possible criminal offense.
ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT DENIES IT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE IS EVIDENT
While the authorities downplay some of the effects, the reality on the ground appears quite different. For example, in recent events, the governor of Veracruz denied that any species had died from the recent oil spill; however, organizations and communities reported at least 14 dead marine animals, including turtles and dolphins.
The discrepancy between official accounts and local testimonies has generated uncertainty and distrust.
Oil spills don’t always kill immediately, but their effects are persistent.
Crude oil can coat birds or the fur of marine animals, preventing them from surviving. It also introduces toxins that cause heart damage, immune system disruptions, and long-term death.
Mangroves, beaches, and wetlands—key ecosystems—are especially vulnerable.
Oil Spills Due to Government Negligence: A Constant that Spans and Marks Two Presidential Terms
From contaminated rivers in Veracruz to a series of incidents at Dos Bocas, oil spills, in various forms, have plagued the current administration and its predecessors.
¡Dios mío! Esto es una catástrofe. Así lucen las playas de Chachalacas, Veracruz, hay el mismo reporte en Tuxpan, Vega de Alatorre y Nautla, éste último un centro de nidos de tortuga 🐢. Hay por lo menos 14 animales marinos muertos en las últimas horas. Video Joaquín Basilio pic.twitter.com/V7VbbbVgRh
— Rodrigo Barranco (@rodrigo_dector) March 23, 2026
Beyond the causes—technical failures, natural phenomena, or even possible crimes—the pattern reveals: vulnerable infrastructure, dependence on oil, and consequences that fall on the population and the environment.
The problem is not new, but it hasn’t disappeared either.
And while the country (and the world) continues to rely on hydrocarbons, each spill reopens the same wound: one that mixes fire, pollution, and lives that, sadly, are never recovered.
Source: Nación 321
