GENEVA (7 December 2022) – UN experts said today they were concerned the 1,500-kilometre Train Maya project on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula was endangering the rights of indigenous peoples and other communities to land and natural resources, cultural rights and the right to a healthy and sustainable environment.
Human rights defenders raising concerns on negative impacts face threats and attacks and very limited safe access to an independent and impartial tribunal, the experts said.
“As a state-led project, the Mexican government should take additional measures to ensure respect for human rights and the environment,” the experts said. In addition, the government has now elevated the project as a national security project, which allows it to derogate from the application of environmental and social safeguards. “This change in status of the State-led project does not allow Mexico to elude its international obligation to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of people affected by this megaproject and to protect the environment in line with international standards.”