Mexican Military’s Bold Move: 441M Pesos Invested in Hotel Expansion

The National Defense Secretariat (Sedena) in Mexico is expanding into the tourism sector with the construction of six hotels near archaeological sites along the Maya Train route. The Army has disclosed 21 contracts on the National Transparency Platform (PNT), totaling 441.4 million pesos for the equipment and services of these properties.

The majority of these contracts extend until the end of the current year, indicating that the Army will maintain its role as a tourism business administrator into the early months of the next government, anticipated to be led by Claudia Sheinbaum.

Specifics about the construction of the hotels near the ruins of Palenque, Nuevo Uxmal, Edzna, Tulum, Chichen Itza, and Calakmul are classified as confidential. However, the service contracts suggest that the National Defense is already in the process of equipping these hotels this year.

The project is overseen by the Olmeca-Maya-Mexica Airport, Railway, Auxiliary Services and related Group, a company established by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. This group allows the Army to manage the Maya Train, airports, an airline and other businesses unrelated to national security. On the National Transparency Platform, the contracts are listed under the National Defense Secretariat and administered by General Arturo Coronel, the Director of Administration of Sedena.

The six military hotels will be four-star establishments, each with between 140 and 165 rooms. They aim to offer rooms at an average price of 2,000 pesos per night.

Aside from the information disclosed about Sedena's hotels in morning briefings and the published contracts, there are no official documents detailing the construction process. It remains unclear whether there were expropriations, how environmental permits were processed, and what involvement there was from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), given the hotels' proximity to archaeological and protected areas.

The most lucrative contract is with Marketer Kunem, worth 259.5 million pesos, and is set to expire in December.