Mexico Expropriates Ejido Lands in Bacalar for Maya Train Cargo Project

Bacalar, Quintana Roo — The Mexican federal government has formally expropriated 2.37 hectares of communal ejido land in Bacalar municipality to build infrastructure for the Maya Train cargo line, according to a decree published in the official federal gazette.

The land, located near the entrance to Mahahual and close to the planned Chacchoben train stop, will be transferred to the state-owned company Fonatur Tren Maya for construction of buildings and railway infrastructure. Officials describe the location as strategic for developing tourism and freight transport projects.

The company, which operates under the Mexican Defense Ministry, will be able to construct all necessary facilities for the railway system and its complementary services on the expropriated area.

The official document states that technical reports from the National Agrarian Registry and the Agrarian Development Ministry, dated August 30, 2024, confirmed the exact boundaries of the communal lands from the El Cafetal ejido. The expropriation involves five separate plots intended for railway infrastructure, complementary works, and public freight and passenger rail service.

The government cited public utility grounds related to establishing, operating, and maintaining public services, as well as railway construction to facilitate transportation, in accordance with agrarian law.

The decree also notes that the Maya Train will serve as a humanitarian corridor for delivering food, medical supplies, and other aid to Indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities in southeastern Mexico, arguing that the railway’s constant flow will provide timely access to remote areas. It further highlights the project’s geographic importance for coastal protection and the Central American border region.

Fonatur Tren Maya must compensate legitimate landowners based on valuations from the National Institute of Administration and Appraisal of National Assets, either through direct payment or using its authorized budget. The majority state-owned company’s mandate includes providing rail transport services and related commercial activities under federal concessions for the Maya Train’s construction, operation, and management.