Mexico Seizes 26 Properties for Tren Maya Rail Project

Mexico City — The Mexican government has issued a presidential decree expropriating 26 privately owned properties across four southeastern states, including Quintana Roo, to advance construction of the Tren Maya railway. The seized lands total 234,291.03 square meters and will be used for transportation infrastructure under the state-owned Tren Maya S.A. de C.V.

Strategic Expropriations Across Key Regions

The affected properties are distributed along sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 of the megaproject, spanning Quintana Roo, Chiapas, Campeche, and Yucatán. Specific locations include:

• Quintana Roo: Puerto Morelos (111.95 m²) and Tulum (two plots: 388.81 m² and 719.45 m²)
• Chiapas: Palenque
• Campeche: Candelaria, Hecelchakán, and Dzitbalché
• Yucatán: Umán, Valladolid, and Mérida

The decree also covers existing structures and installations on these lands, which will be integrated into the railway project.

Additional Properties Targeted for Future Expropriation

The Secretariat of Agrarian, Territorial, and Urban Development (Sedatu) simultaneously declared 26 additional private properties—totaling 44,447.31 m²—as subject to future expropriation for "public utility." These are located in:

• Quintana Roo: Playa del Carmen (2,323.01 m²), Bacalar (2,999.96 m²), and Othón P. Blanco (961.73 m² for Section 6)
• Chiapas, Campeche, and Yucatán: Undisclosed municipalities

Topographic maps and related files are available for review by individuals or entities with legal standing. Affected parties have 15 business days from notification or the second publication in the Diario Oficial de la Federación to submit claims or evidence to Sedatu’s Legal Affairs Unit.

Context and Controversy

The Tren Maya, a flagship infrastructure initiative of the federal government, has faced ongoing disputes over land acquisition, environmental concerns, and conflicts with private landowners. These latest measures aim to accelerate progress on remaining sections of the railway in southeastern Mexico.