Environmental organizations and communities reported that the oil spill on the coasts of Veracruz and Tabasco has reached approximately 630 kilometers of coastline.
Environmental organizations and communities reported that the oil spill on the coasts of Veracruz and Tabasco has reached approximately 630 kilometers of coastline.
In a statement released by Greenpeace Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico Reef Corridor Network, they stated that three weeks after the spill was detected, the pollution in the Gulf of Mexico continues to spread without its origin having been identified or those responsible being punished.
The oil slick stretches from the Tamiahua Lagoon to Paraíso, representing almost the entire southwestern reef corridor of the Gulf of Mexico.
According to reports, the first instances of tar contamination were registered as early as March 1st in municipalities such as Tamiahua, Tuxpan, and Cazones, in northern Veracruz. However, organizations indicated that the oil remains present in various areas, severely impacting marine ecosystems, coral reefs, and turtle nesting areas.
Furthermore, it was reported that although Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) announced on March 19th that cleanup efforts were approximately 85% complete, community records paint a different picture. At least 26 sites have been affected; in nine, the cleanup has been carried out solely by residents.
In eight sites, there has been collaboration between authorities and communities, and in the other eight, Pemex has intervened directly.
The organizations warned that the crisis is not only environmental but also social, directly impacting fishing, Indigenous, and Afro-descendant communities.
“Crude oil is still leaking all over the beach… the oil is still there, it’s stagnant, and we don’t know who’s going to be responsible for all the damage,” commented Esteban Hernández Hernández, representative of a turtle conservation camp in the region, who highlighted the impact on tourism and species conservation.
Because of this situation, NGOs demanded that the Ministry of Energy and the National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection of the Hydrocarbons Sector suspend exploration and extraction activities as a precautionary measure, and also provide transparency regarding the source of the spill.
Source: El Economista
