Sheinbaum Expropriates Land for Mayan Train Amid Budget Cuts

On Feb. 7 and 10, President Claudia Sheinbaum published a decree in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) declaring the expropriation of 914,693.43m2 of private land to advance the construction of the Mayan Train, for sections 1, 2, 3, 4, ,5 and 6, spanning Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo. The expropriation, announced by the Ministry of Agrarian, Land, and Urban Development (SEDATU), involves 101 privately owned properties across multiple municipalities.

The decree cites public utility as the primary justification for the expropriation. According to these provisions, if the expropriated land is not utilized for its declared purpose within five years, affected property owners may request its full or partial return.

The expropriation includes all constructions and installations on the affected properties. SEDATU has been tasked with the immediate occupation of these lands, with legal challenges unable to suspend the process. Owners have 10 business days following notification of the decree to contest the compensation amount in court.

To ensure fair compensation, the government will allocate funds from the budgets of FONATUR and FONATUR Tren Maya, in coordination with SEDATU. These entities will base payments on valuations provided by the National Institute for the Administration and Appraisal of National Assets.

Budget Reallocation and Policy Shifts

According to the Reports on the Economic Situation, Public Finances, and Public Debt of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) of 4Q24, there was a significant modification to public spending, where migration policy became a top priority amid tensions with the US government. This shift led to a 488.6% increase in the budget for the National Institute of Migration (INM) in 2024. The INM’s budget surged from MX$1.89 billion (US$91.4 million) to MX$11.17 billion (US$$540.5 million).

To fund this increase, the federal government made substantial budgetary adjustments, cutting funds from several key projects, including the Mayan Train. The railway project saw its budget slashed by up to 70%. It was initially allocated MX$125.94 billion (US$6.09 billion) in the 2024 Federal Expenditure Budget (PEF 2024) under the administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. However, by the end of 2024, under Sheinbaum's administration only MX$36.93 billion (US$$1.79 billion) had been spent, marking a significant departure from its financial prioritization. Additionally, as the National Guard suffered budget cuts exceeding 50% by the end of the year.

The 2025 Federal Expenditure Budget, Annex 16, which is designated exclusively for climate change mitigation and environmental projects, was allocated MX$205.37 billion (US$9.99 billion), according to El Universal. However, over MX$40.83 billion (US$$1.98 billion) of that total is earmarked for the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA), including MX$827 million (US$40.02 million) for providing public mass transportation services for passengers and cargo via the Mayan Train, and MX$39.99 billion (US$$1.94 billion) categorized as “provisions for construction and infrastructure strengthening.”