Maya Train project accused of destroying ancient ruins

Quintana Roo, Mexico — While institutional spokespersons, backed by multimillion-dollar budgets, may tout the project’s successes, critical voices have raised concerns since its inception in 2018 under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Military Control and Financial Burden

The project’s social, economic, cultural, and political repercussions have intensified with the involvement of the military, initially tasked with protecting the construction sites. Later, it was revealed that they would also serve as builders, and ultimately, they became the owners after López Obrador transferred the operating company to the armed forces. Meanwhile, the federal government continues to allocate public funds for the train’s operation, maintenance, and completion of adjacent infrastructure—all financed by Mexican taxpayers.

Archaeological Destruction and Institutional Complicity

The distortion of the National Institute of Anthropology and History’s (INAH) role has been a recurring issue. The agency authorized interventions in archaeological sites along the Maya Train route without adhering to legal norms. When archaeologist Fernando Cortés de Brasdefer criticized the methodology and improvisation in the archaeological salvage efforts, the Mexican state discredited his decades of scientific work. His objections to the destruction of Mexico’s archaeological heritage were dismissed as the INAH leadership prioritized political directives over scientific rigor.

Criminal Complaint Filed Over Relocated Monuments

A recent investigative report by Carmen García Bermejo, published in Fábrica de Periodismo, exposed serious irregularities in the archaeological salvage operations, prompting a criminal complaint. On August 14, 2025, a group of academics and researchers filed a formal complaint with Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR) over the illegal relocation and reconstruction of 47 archaeological monuments destroyed during the construction of Sections 6 and 7 of the Maya Train.

The researchers allege that these monuments, including pyramids, were dismantled from their original sites in Quintana Roo—specifically in Juan Sarabia, Jesús González Ortega, and Francisco Villa—and are now being fraudulently presented as “rescued” and “rehabilitated” in the new Chetumal Balam Tun Archaeological Park.

Violations of Heritage Law

The complaint emphasizes that the Federal Law on Archaeological, Artistic, and Historical Monuments and Zones prohibits the relocation of such monuments. The researchers argue that these actions constitute a fraud against the public, as the artifacts were removed from their original contexts—settings that held cultural, natural, and sociopolitical significance dating back over 500 years.

“These monuments were built in specific locations tied to celestial phenomena like solstices, equinoxes, and lunar cycles,” the researchers stated. “Their original placement was integral to their historical and astronomical study. Their relocation violates not only the law but also the principles of archaeological preservation.”

Commercial Exploitation of Heritage

The complaint further alleges that the repurposing of these monuments for a tourist route is a commercial exploitation of national heritage. The researchers note that the reconstructed pyramids have been polished and precisely reassembled, presenting a misleading facade of authenticity.