Mérida, Yucatán — About 50 residents of the Yaxché ejido held a protest Monday morning in front of the Government Palace, demanding authorities pay 140 million pesos in compensation for land affected by the Tren Maya freight rail project.
The demonstrators carried signs calling for indemnification and accused investors and former ejido leaders of trying to divide the community through separate agreements.
The conflict centers on approximately 198 hectares of ejido land where the railway right-of-way passes. Residents said they have been negotiating with officials and investors for over a year, initially being told they would be included in compensation processes.
According to the protesters, negotiators had agreed on a payment of 90 pesos per square meter for affected areas, which would total around 140 million pesos — an amount they consider fair to avoid prolonged litigation. They said a payment date was set, raising expectations among families, but days before the disbursement they were notified it would not happen due to lack of approval from investors linked to the Tren Maya project.
“We are not against the train,” one resident said. “What we want is to be paid what corresponds for the passage of the track and for our rights over the ejido lands to be respected.”
The protesters reported internal divisions, alleging that some former ejido commissioners and representatives have sided with investors, and that some individuals have received financial offers to support certain land agreements.
Residents said they have requested meetings with higher-level state and federal authorities, considering the meetings held so far with administrative or human resources representatives insufficient. Legal proceedings regarding land ownership and the impacts of the Tren Maya project continue.
