Slim Defends Mayan Train Partner

Carlos Slim’s infrastructure development company CICSA, part of Grupo Carso, released a statement defending its partner FCC Construcción from accusations of corruption reported by Animal Político last week. CICSA and FCC Construcción are the two partners that make up the consortium awarded the contract to build the second segment of the Mayan Train. FCC Construcción is a large infrastructure and service group from Spain in which Grupo Carso also has a 61.1 percent stake.  

Animal Político details an accusation made by a Spanish judge regarding a bribery scheme hatched when FCC Construcción partnered with Odebrecht to build subway lines in the capital city of Panama. CICSA’s statement argues that these allegations are previous to Slim and Grupo Carso’s involvement in FCC Construcción. 

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Mayan Train Hires First Subcontractors

FONATUR signed contracts with two companies to be the project’s first public subcontractors. Nexumrail and Coyatoc Construcciones will be in charge of clearing paths through the jungle while rehabilitating old segments of the Chiapas-Mayab cargo rail lines. This work will have to be completed by May 27. It includes the clearing of 3.15m of jungle on either side of the railroad throughout a total of 41.5km of rail lines. It will cost FONATUR US$1.31 million. 

Santa Lucía Airport Presents Progress Report

President López Obrador provided a stage for SEDENA to present a video showing the latest advances on the construction of the Santa Lucia airport, officially known as the Felipe Ángeles Airport. The video showed considerable progress on the construction of the airport’s neighboring military base and its corresponding housing units. The video also showed progress on the steel structures of what will eventually be the main passenger terminal. The main runway continues being coated with hydraulic concrete and the foundations and underground facilities of the fuel storage and supply terminal are being finished as well. 

SEDENA Going Overbudget on Felipe Ángeles Airport

A report released by fiscal authorities calculated that SEDENA has already spent 97 percent of its 2020 budget assigned for the construction of Mexico City’s new airport. 1Q20 spending on this project already surpassed US$214.52 million, with its total cost currently estimated at US$3.39 billion. 

New Attention Committee Formed Around Transisthmic Corridor

Federal and state authorities of the state of Oaxaca met in Salina Cruz over the weekend to compose an attention committee to support the Transisthmic Corridor project. This committee was formed by project leaders in collaboration with Oaxaca mayors close to the project and political figureheads, such as state Governor Alejandro Murat and Salina Cruz API Director Roberto Mendoza Sánchez.