Maya Train Progress Amid Corruption Claims and Land Expropriations

Government Pushes Forward with Land Expropriations for Maya Train

The Mexican government continues developing the Maya Train through new land expropriations, despite growing allegations of alleged corruption linked to contract awards. Construction of this project in southeastern Mexico advances amid questions about conflicts of interest and technical omissions in other railway projects of the current administration.

Decrees published on December 29, 2025, in the Official Gazette of the Federation authorized the expropriation of lands in Yucatán, Campeche, and Quintana Roo. The parcels, mostly for agricultural and communal use, were transferred to the company Tren Maya, S.A. de C.V., under the public utility designation. The Secretariat of Agrarian, Territorial, and Urban Development will be responsible for executing the expropriation once corresponding payments are verified according to appraisals by the Institute of Administration and Appraisal of National Assets.

Parallel Scandal Involving Interoceanic Train Contracts

These actions occur parallel to the scandal over contracts awarded for the Interoceanic Train, where released audio recordings implicate Gonzalo López Beltrán, son of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. In one recording disseminated by LatinUS, Amílcar Olán, contractor and close friend of “Bobby” López Beltrán, states that his participation in railway projects included ballast supply, mine exploitation, and track rehabilitation. “Bobby told me they’re going to give us a front in some mines over in Oaxaca that we’ll exploit… because I’m the one who’s going to put in all the money,” Olán is heard saying, according to the outlet.

During November 2024, the Mexican Army confirmed a contract with the company Construcsol, linked to Olán, for the Maya Train. However, this document was classified as confidential because it’s subject to an administrative procedure. The situation generated criticism following the derailment of the Interoceanic Train in Oaxaca on December 28, 2025, where 13 people died and 98 others were injured. An audit by the ASF revealed that the project began without complete technical studies, leading to contract changes and unplanned work.

Audit Findings and Political Reactions

The ASF emphasized that these irregularities violate the Public Works Law. In the case of the Z line of the Isthmus Railway, the lack of adequate planning prompted a Promotion of Sanctioning Administrative Responsibility against public officials. Despite this, the government argued it was a priority project and justified modifications due to its complexity.

Following these events, PRI leader Alejandro “Alito” Moreno demanded suspending railway works related to associates of the former president and conducting external audits. “When corruption governs, the people of Mexico pay with their lives,” he declared on December 29 during a conference. In turn, President Claudia Sheinbaum declined to respond directly and defended the technical safety certificates for the tracks.

Although the allegations initially involve the Interoceanic Train, numerous political actors have warned that contracting schemes were also replicated in the Maya Train. The accident investigation is under the responsibility of the Attorney General’s Office, headed by Ernestina Godoy.