Tulum, Quintana Roo — The environmental organization SelvameMX has issued a warning about the potential dangers of the Maya Train’s freight service, calling it a threat to the peninsula’s water supply, cenotes, and underground rivers.
In a statement titled “The Maya Train Freight Service Is a Danger to the Water of the Entire Peninsula,” the NGO highlighted the risks posed by the expansion of the railway for cargo transport, particularly for hydrocarbons.
The warning comes as President Claudia Sheinbaum met with the governors of the five states through which the Maya Train passes, along with representatives of the operating company under the Mexican Army (Sedena), to unveil new locomotives scheduled for use in 2027.
“The federal government’s decision to expand the Maya Train to move hydrocarbons, among other goods, represents significantly different environmental challenges than those of passenger service,” the activists wrote. “The new logistics terminals, rail yards, branch lines, transfer centers, and the increased frequency and length of trains alter the original conditions under which the project was supposedly evaluated.”
SelvameMX argued that there is a lack of specific, cumulative, and transparent environmental studies that would allow the public to understand the potential effects of a hydrocarbon spill or any other contaminant on the Great Maya Aquifer, which lies beneath the entire Yucatan Peninsula.
“Due to the porosity of the karst soil, the geological conditions are highly vulnerable because of the presence of interconnected caves, underground conduits, and cenotes,” the statement emphasized. “These characteristics require permanent geotechnical evaluations and reinforced prevention measures for any heavy infrastructure.”
The group noted that the Great Maya Aquifer provides water to millions of people on the peninsula and sustains one of the most extensive flooded cave systems in the world. Its conservation, they said, is a matter of national water security, not just environmental protection.
While acknowledging that Mexico needs modern and efficient infrastructure, SelvameMX called for development to meet scientific, environmental, and transparency standards. “Economic development and the protection of natural heritage must advance in a compatible manner,” they concluded.
