Highways and Road Maintenance/Mayan Trian

Highways and road maintenance. President López Obrador said that the federal government destined MX$22 billion (US$1.1 billion) for highway maintenance in the country. Moreover, he reported that a MX$1 billion budget adjustment in construction contracts to build rural roads was achieved.

The president reaffirmed his commitment to 570 municipalities in Oaxaca to have paved roads to connect them with other nearby cities.

Mayan Train. President López Obrador announced that more than 1000km are already free from disputes and are ready for construction. Nonetheless, the section from Xpujil to Chetumal remains blocked by ejidatarios that do not want the train to pass through their communities.

The ejidatarios are asking the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transport (SICT) to pay them a compensation, consequently, the president considered the possibility of not constructing in that particular section. Moreover, he pointed out that the section from Cancun to Tulum, considered one of the most problematic, will continue with its construction. The section to reach Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Bacalar, Chetumal and the south of Quintana Roo still have pending disputes. In that sense, López Obrador gave instructions to speak with the people and organize meetings to explain to them where the train would operate and grant payments. If an agreement is not reached, the train will travel until Xpujil and the section that travels to Chetumal will not be built, he added.

Gas prices. Furthermore, Ricardo Sheffield Padilla, Head of the Federal Consumer Agency PROFECO explained that the average diesel price last week was MX$23.57 (US$1.18) while Premium fuel was MX$24.19 (US$1.21) and regular fuel was MX$22.12 (US$1.11). Moreover, he said that the Special Tax on Production and Services (IEPS) incentive will be 100 percent applied to regular, premium, and diesel fuel.

Sheffield Padilla added that the highest profit margins were registered by Chevron, Redco and Arco which also sold fuel at the highest prices while the lowest profit indicators are from BP, G500 and Orsan