Communities Block PEMEX Access to Wells due to Lack of Commitment

Community members of Tlalixcoyan, Veracruz, blocked PEMEX workers from accessing sites located in neighboring areas due to failure to meet established commitments.

Residents from at least twelve communities from the municipality of Tlalixcoyan blocked access and prevented workers from PEMEX and other contracted companies from entering the premises of sites used for exploration and drilling work. This occurred because the NOC did not keep its paving promise  of 45km of highway and other smaller roads. The affected dwells were the Miztli-1 Exp and Sikte-1 Exp, located in the Limoncito community. Inhabitants are awaiting a favorable response from PEMEX.

The highway runs from the Madereros community to the Cerro Coyote located within La Victoria, passing through Tenacalco. These communities  are in desperate need of an efficient road for transportation, due to their remote location. “We are asking for help from the municipal government, the state government, and society at large” said a spokesperson representing the town.

PEMEX faulty promises come as part of a string of issues the NOC has been experiencing in the past few months. At the end of August, PEMEX recognized a debt of over MX$54 million to contractors and suppliers. Creditor companies form a wide range of services and products, from perforation services and materials to medicines for its employees. In spite of big capital injections from the federal government in the last five months, PEMEX has only been able to reduce its debt by 19 percent.

Industry analysts and critics alike agree that while the company is making efforts to meet budgetary demand, it will continue to drag this debt burden as long as its business strategy is not modified. In 2020 alone, PEMEX reduced its sales, largely due to the world pandemic, and increased investment expenses. This last measure, mostly depends on the general national budget approved by congress.

According to PEMEX’s last report, the company will carry on with its role in exports, because it represents one of the main income sources for the company.