Full Steam Ahead Through Crisis

President López Obrador has made it clear throughout this week’s daily morning press conferences that the combined effects of COVID-19 and low oil barrel prices will not lead to the cancelation or delay of his administration’s flagship infrastructure programs, including the Mayan train, the Santa Lucia airport, the Dos Bocas refinery, and even the Tehuantepec Isthmus Railroad (FIT) rehabilitation. 

These declarations go against groups that have requested that these projects be canceled to offset the impact of the ongoing crisis, which include the PAN party through its national leader Marko Cortés,  the CCE-affiliated think tank Private Sector Economic Studies Center (CEESP), and even chief BBVA economist Carlos Serrano. 

Ready for more? Here’s the Week in Infrastructure!

More Maya Train Tenders By End Of Month

During this Friday morning’s daily press conference, in reference to projects that the president said would not be canceled,  he also mentioned that more tender proposals for the Maya Train will be published by the end of the month.

The president added that it was imperative for this project to begin its formal construction phase as soon as possible, since each one of its seven segments would represent the creation of 30,000 jobs. 

FONATUR Debunks Maya Train Expenses Controversy

After a report was published this week by a political organization called Mexicanos Contra La Corrupción y La Impunidad (Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity or MCCI) supposedly denouncing corruption through unjustified expenses in FONATUR’s management of the Maya Train project, FONATUR published a statement detailing the mistakes made in said report.  

The statement led MCCI to concede in FONATUR’s favor and take the report offline, replacing it instead with an apology from its head of journalism Salvador Camarena and the full statement from FONATUR.  

17 New Real Estate Projects Proposed On Reforma Avenue

As a measure to combat the negative economic effects of COVID-19, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum has announced 17 new real estate projects to be developed along the city’s famous Reforma avenue, 14 of them along its iconic segment crossing the Cuauhtemoc burrough. 

Sheinbaum says construction for these projects must begin no later than 30 days after all quarantines have ended in accordance to all standing environmental, social and urban regulation; they are expected to generate 200,000 jobs. 

Unused Mexico City Water Wells to be Reactivated

Given the additional strain being put on Mexico City’s water distribution system as a result of COVID-19, Sheinbaum has also decided to execute a cooperation program between the Mexico City Water Systems (SACMEX), the National Water Commission (CONAGUA) and the government of the State of Mexico to guarantee the city’s water supply through the reactivation of all water wells that are currently not in use but at some point served the Mexico City area.