Mayan Train, Dos Bocas Will Cushion The Economy: Citibanamex

According to a report released this week by La Jornada, analysts from Citibanamex have determined that the Mayan Train and the Dos Bocas Refinery will play a significant role in lessening the economic impact of COVID-19. Out of all of Mexico’s banks, Citibanamex’s economic studies unit anticipates the worst-case scenario when it comes to COVID-19, predicting a total contraction of 11.2 percent. However, it also expects that a process of recovery will begin shortly after the end of 2Q20. This recovery is expected to be uneven and focalized in certain regions of the country. Federal entities with economies mainly powered by tourism are expected to recover at the slowest pace. 

Although Quintana Roo, one of the states through which the Mayan Train will travel, is expected to be among the most affected, other states where construction of these two projects is ongoing or expected to begin soon, such as Chiapas, Tabasco and Campeche, might be able to recover more quickly. 

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

UNAM Criticizes Mayan Train-Related Pollution

The Latin American Geopolitical Observatory at UNAM’s Economic Research Institute has released a document detailing the possible environmental consequences of the Mayan Train’s daily operations as currently planned. Excelsior reports that the document measures the CO2 output of the train’s diesel-powered segments as being equivalent to 8 percent of the total pollution generated by cars in Mexico City. This study also points out that there is a severe lack of available information on where and how the train’s diesel storage will be refilled, so no calculations can yet be made in terms of what those facilities’ construction and operation would add to the project’s environmental impact.  

SEDATU Makes Further Promises to Santa Lucia Communities

SEDATU has announced direct and concrete support measures for communities neighboring the Santa Lucia airport currently under construction. Specifically, it has promised that over US$108 million will be invested in construction and infrastructure for the municipalities of Zumpango, Xaltocan, Tecamac, Nextlalpan, Tonanitla, Tultitlan and Tultepec. According to a report from Milenio, the population of these localities totals 1.4 million people. Investment will cover housing, urbanization, highway planning and public facilities that will include museums and public parks.   

SCT & Huawei Launch This Year’s “Seed for the Future”

Since 2016, SCT’s Center for Digital Inclusion has collaborated with Huawei to launch the “Seeds For The Future” competition, which seeks to promote young Mexican talent by organizing a number of challenges focused on AI, IoT, 5G networking and cloud computing. An official press release from SCT has announced this year’s edition, which will take place entirely online at the end of October.  

FONATUR Debunks Rumors of New Merida Airport

A report from The Yucatan Times quotes FONATUR liaison Iván Duarte Raúl Bermúdez as making it clear that there are no current plans to build a new airport in the city of Merida.  Rumors initiated when the project was mentioned as a possibility by FONATUR head Rogelio Jiménez Pons in June of last year.