CHIAPAS, MEXICO — A diverse coalition of environmental, climate, and human rights organizations has issued an urgent appeal to the Mexican government to immediately halt the construction of a high-speed highway in Chiapas, accusing the project of causing “devastating” destruction to indigenous lands and local ecosystems.
The groups are protesting the “Ruta de las Culturas Mayas,” a private high-speed highway connecting Palenque and San Cristóbal de las Casas. The coalition characterizes the project as a massive violation of the rights and worldview of the Maya peoples, who have inhabited the region for over 2,500 years. According to the statement, the project has already resulted in the destruction of thousands of hectares of jungle, forests, and vital water springs.
The organizations specifically called out President Claudia Sheinbaum, as well as the heads of the Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), demanding an immediate cessation of the project. They allege that the highway lacks the necessary environmental studies and permits to proceed and that its “supposed modernization” serves only to destroy the traditional ways of life for those who depend on the land for survival.
Beyond environmental concerns, the coalition leveled serious allegations of human rights abuses against the government and the companies involved. Communities—including the Chol, Tseltal, and Tsotsil peoples—have reported a surge in surveillance, including the use of drones over their ancestral lands, and the systematic “criminalization and harassment” of land defenders who oppose the road.
Furthermore, the groups criticized the government’s “rigged” consultation processes, claiming that local women were intentionally excluded from community assemblies. They argue that the project is a form of land dispossession intended to generate profit at the expense of the most vulnerable populations.
The outcry follows a massive mobilization on August 9, where more than 4,000 people from 600 indigenous communities participated in a pilgrimage to demonstrate their rejection of the highway. Despite this widespread opposition, the coalition claims that authorities have failed to listen, instead resorting to “discrimination and abuse” against activists.
The coalition, which includes international organizations from Spain, Germany, and France alongside local grassroots groups, demands that the state stop the “ecocide” and reactivate a genuine dialogue that respects the will of the indigenous peoples of Chiapas.