Group Blames Navy for Deadly Train Derailment in Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico — The Secretariat of the Navy is responsible for the derailment of the Interoceanic Train recorded in Oaxaca on Sunday, accused the Assembly of Peoples of the Isthmus in Defense of Land and Territory.

Through a publication on social media, the organization condemned that the Navy assumes functions and responsibilities that do not correspond to it.

“We say it clearly and without beating around the bush: this crime has those responsible. The Secretariat of the Navy is directly responsible for being in charge of the planning, construction, administration, and operation of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, its train, and industrial parks,” the group stated.

“The Navy has assumed a role that does not correspond to it, acting as promoter, judge, and executor of a civilian project protected by the armed force and operated without transparency or accountability,” it denounced through a publication on Facebook.

Last Sunday, a derailment of the Interoceanic Train was recorded in the vicinity of Nizanda, Oaxaca, which left a toll of 13 people dead and 98 injured, according to official figures.

The train began its passenger service just two years ago, with a ceremony led by then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

This project, accused the Assembly, was developed through subcontracting schemes, in which companies favored by networks of nepotism, corruption, and influence peddling participated, without real safety controls, without independent supervision, and without respect for the conditions of the territory.

Pointing out that the Interoceanic Train is a permanent risk for the population, it demanded “truth, justice, punishment for those responsible, comprehensive reparation for the victims, and the immediate halt to this model of death.”

The Assembly argued that for years it has warned about the risks of the Interoceanic and emphasized that each day it becomes clearer that its objective is to boost commerce, far from guaranteeing rights or improving the life of the peoples of the Isthmus.

“We warned that the rush to inaugurate works, fulfill political calendars, and attract investments would endanger communities and those who used this infrastructure. We warned that ‘development’ cannot be built on poorly planned tracks, fragmented territories, and decisions imposed from above. No one listened.

“Transport disguised as passengers is only a temporary pretext. Its real destiny is to become a freight train, articulated to ports, industrial parks, gas pipelines, and free trade zones. For that model, our lives, our lands, and our cultures are a hindrance,” it reproached.