Guatemala to Build Its Own Section of the Interoceanic Corridor

While Mexico is advancing the southern line of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT) to the Guatemalan border, the responsibility for extending the railway into Guatemala will fall onto the Guatemalan government, President Claudia Sheinbaum clarified.

President Sheinbaum’s comments followed a trilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Belize, John Briceño, and the President of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo. Sheinbaum explained that the plan is for the CIIT's Line K, which runs from Ixtepec to Ciudad Hidalgo, to connect with a future rail line built by Guatemala. "That would be done by Guatemala. It is not that we would be building the trains, unless there was an agreement where they requested it,” Sheinbaum added.

The announcement was part of a discussion on regional connectivity that also includes a potential extension of the Mayan Train, which would run through Belize and down to Flores, Guatemala. "It was a historic event. The Prime Minister of Belize, the President of Guatemala, and the President of Mexico have never held a trilateral meeting. Also, Guatemala had previous governments where it was very difficult for them to meet with Mexico, but not anymore,” she said.

The meeting between the three leaders also resulted in the declaration of the Gran Selva Maya area (Great Mayan Jungle) as a 5.7 million ha biocultural corridor. President Sheinbaum announced that two trinational working groups will be formed: one to advance the rail connectivity projects and another dedicated to the protection of the newly declared corridor.