Maya Train Construction Controversy: Activists Allege Continued Building Despite Court Order

Activist group "Save Me From the Train" has shared videos that reportedly show construction continuing on the South Section 5 of the Maya Train, despite a federal judge ordering a halt on June 19th. The videos appear to show work on the section between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, with activists raising concerns about potential structural and environmental risks.

The group has warned that underground columns are being filled with rocks, a practice which could lead to the structure's collapse. There are also concerns about the use of chemicals that could harm the local ecosystem. Activist Cristina Nolasco posted on social media that the construction piles are "hollow, broken, the concrete cracks and they fill them with rocks", constituting a structural hazard. She also claimed that the workers are using chemicals that "sting the eyes and contaminate the water".

Engineer Wilberto Esquivel, who has previously voiced opposition to the project, has also highlighted flaws in the construction of Section 4, where he detected sinkholes in the embankment supporting the Maya Train tracks.

Another member of the group, Guillermo DChristy, shared the video and tagged Mara Lezama, Governor of Quintana Roo, and Óscar Rébora, Undersecretary of Environmental Management and Protection, as well as the incoming president-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum.

On June 19th, the First District Court in Merida, Yucatan, ordered a halt to the works on the South Section 5 of the Maya Train. Judge Adrian Fernando Novelo stated that the continuation of the works could cause irreparable damage. The suspension is intended to halt construction while a verdict is reached in the injunction case, numbered 821/2022.