More Land Nationalized for Maya Train in Yucatán

Yucatán, Mexico — The Mexican government has officially nationalized additional land for the Maya Train project through a decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) in December of this year. The measure aims to guarantee the construction and operation of complementary works for the Maya Train, particularly in Section 4, which connects Izamal with Cancún.

President Claudia Sheinbaum ordered the expropriation of hectares from the Yaxché ejido, located in the municipality of Dzitás, Yucatán, as a key decision to boost development in southeastern Mexico.

The operation in 2026 contemplates schedules coordinated with flights, centralized ticket sales, and permanent passenger guidance, reinforcing the idea of a modern and accessible intermodal system.

What Are the Circumstances for the Expropriation of Land?

The expropriation of the lands, which have been classified as common-use rainfed lands, will be managed by the state-owned company Tren Maya, S.A. de C.V. As compensation, the Institute of Administration and Appraisal of National Assets (Indaabin) has established an indemnity of 7,363.72 pesos, a figure that reflects the current commercial value of the affected surface area.

The decision is based on the provisions of Articles 27 and 89 of the Constitution, as well as the Agrarian Law, as it is considered an action of public utility.

What Are the Reasons for Claudia Sheinbaum’s Land Expropriation?

The expropriation is an essential component of the strategy known as “One Hundred Commitments for the Second Floor of the Fourth Transformation,” which is integrated into the National Development Plan 2025-2030. This program aims to strengthen the Moral Economy and Work through the modernization of transportation infrastructure, with the purpose of optimizing the mobility of people and goods.

This approach ultimately seeks to contribute to sustainable development and the improvement of the population’s quality of life, guaranteeing a more efficient and accessible transportation system.

• Strengthening of the local economy.
• Improvement in the quality of public transportation.
• Boost to investment in infrastructure.

Administrative Reorganization of the Project

The decree also mentions an administrative reorganization of the project, which involves the extinction of FONATUR Tren Maya, S.A. de C.V. and the transfer of its rights and obligations to Tren Maya, S.A. de C.V., now under the coordination of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena). This adjustment aims to concentrate the management of more than 3,000 kilometers of projected railway tracks and optimize the comprehensive administration of the system.

This administrative change is fundamental to guarantee greater efficiency in the execution of the project, ensuring that resources are used optimally and that established deadlines are met. The intervention of the Secretariat of National Defense is considered crucial for the success of this initiative.

• Administrative reorganization of the project.
• Extinction of FONATUR Tren Maya, S.A. de C.V.
• Transfer of rights to Tren Maya, S.A. de C.V.
• Coordination under the Secretariat of National Defense.
• Concentration of management of railway tracks.
• Optimization of the system’s administration.