whatever happens in inspection at the end of October, about whether or not it continues the construction of the new international airport of Mexico (NAIM), the next Government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) will have that spend at least 5 billion pesos in modernizing the current airport Benito Juárez and relaunch of Toluca, in the State of Mexico, to alleviate the saturation of passengers in the capital of the country.
This is, so far, the latest twist in a long history between AMLO and a work that has been marked by turns of the Tabasco in his position: first, during the campaign, took as one of their flags the total cancellation of the NAIM, in Texcoco, by the high cost to impl ICA and proposed instead to build two runways at the Santa Lucia military base.
Later, he suggested the option of tendering for the work of the NAIM to private initiative. And then decided that the two projects are subject to a consultation citizen.
Prior to the consultation, in political Animal you expose the chronology of the positions of the next federal Government on the new airport, what are the different opinions on the feasibility of the projects, as well as the main pros and cons have been exposed on these.
NAIM, yes or no? Changes of opinion since it announced the construction of the NAIM, in 2014, Lopez Obrador has publicly expressed its rejection to this work, arguing that it is very expensive and that behind it there may be corruption in contracts.
“It’s a bottomless barrel, a waste of money,” said December 9, 2017, months before you start the campaign for the Presidency. Instead, as early as April 2015, AMLO proposed to build a new airport, but in Tizayuca, Hidalgo. However, in November of that same year took place the first shift: he left behind Tizayuca, and began to suggest that the current airport Mexico City Benito Juárez will complement with base military of Saint Lucia, in Zumpango, constructing two additional tracks that already There is.
Later, during the campaign that led to the Presidency, in July both AMLO and his advisors were changing posture.
In January, its position was strong against the NAIM. You even propose that the space that would leave free work from the airport after its cancellation could be used for offices. In March, the Tabasco softened the message and raised a table of technicians from the federal Government, the business sector, and his team, to discuss which of the two options is better.
for April, already as a Morena candidate, his stance changed three times: on 1 April, at the start of the campaign, returned to harden his speech against the NAIM. In the subsequent week, left open the possibility of revising the NAIM contracts and returned to raise dialogue tables. And on April 16, after the Conference of businessman Carlos Slim in which said that cancel the work of Texcoco would be a setback, AMLO suggested, for the first time, search entrepreneurs invest in the construction.
In June, Lopez Obrador was already three alternatives and not only the cancellation of the NAIM, as it was his initial speech: 1) continue with the current project of the NAIM; (2) to cancel it and build two tracks in Saint Lucia; and (3) continue with the NAIM through a concession to the private sector.
And in August, already as President-elect, AMLO convened a consultation to citizens choose which option you want, although the final decision on the construction of the new airport will be in the hands of the next Government.
What it would cost each project?
The issue of cost is, without a doubt, one of the most controversial points of the current construction of the NAIM in Texcoco. In 2014, the year that kicked off the work, the initial cost was 168 thousand 880 million pesos. However, four years later, is expected to make the final investment of 285 billion pesos, up to 68% more.
The current Secretary of the SCT, Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, has said on several occasions that the investment of the work is 13 thousand 300 million dollars. And that the cost increase is due mainly to the depreciation of the peso against the American currency and inflation.
To the cost overrun must be added that the work will be delayed, at least two years: initially announced the first phase to 2020, but construction managers said the team of AMLO which elongates until 2022. Even Jimenez Espriu said yesterday that the delay can be up to 2024.
To all of the above, should add that the work of the NAIM has received numerous observations of the Superior audit of the Federation (ASF) for irregularities in hiring, or by spending more than one billion pesos without checking.
In St. Lucia, in the book Aeropuertario system of the Valley of Mexico. Use of existing facilities. Proposal alternating, mentioned that the project would have a cost of 63 billion pesos.
However. AMLO also has changed this figure. In various speeches he said that it would cost 60 billion pesos, although in a comic that aired in April of 2018 the number of 70 thousand million pesos, and at a rally occurred on April 20, in Xochimilco, the then-candidate said that his alternate plan would cost 50 billion.
At the expense of Saint Lucia, must be taken into account, in addition, the expenses of cancellation of the NAIM. According to the Mexican Institute for competition (IMCO), the approximate cost of cancellation is 120 billion pesos that 58 billion already paid, more penalties and the amount for non-recoverable expenses that would be generated by the cancellation of contracts committed by 102 billion and the settlement of workers.
And what will happen when you win one or another option?
If he wins the NAIM, this would be the only airport that would be current when it completed the work. So the multi-million-dollar investment announced to modernize the present airport Benito Juárez would be lost in its entirety.
If WINS Santa Lucia, Jimenez Espriu said that they would operate more the current Benito Juárez, this new airport, and Toluca, then, although on this last not entered into details of how to convince the airlines to open flights at an airport which opened with a capacity to 4 million passengers, and that, currently, only serves to 400 thousand by low demand.
Is Santa Lucia Airport viable?
On St. Lucia, the most controversial and debated point is if, in fact, is an option viable, safe, and compatible with the airport Benito Juárez.
Thursday, the next holder of the SCT said that a study by the Organization International Civil Aviation (ICAO) of 2013, and that they did not previously know detail, says that yes there is feasibility and practicability operate at the same time the current airport and St. Lucia.
However, the Government of the current President, as well as specialists who have collaborated in the construction of the new airport in Texcoco, have pointed out that it is unfeasible both airports to operate simultaneously, since they occupy spaces Air very similar.
“It’s like having a junction of two roads in the air without traffic lights,” said Federico Patiño, director of the Group Aeropuertario of the city of Mexico (GACM), responsible for the work of the NAIM State shareholding company.
Captain Miguel Angel Valero, who was President of the Association of pilots and aviators of Mexico, explained in an interview with political Animal that, in other cities of the world like New York, they can operate up to three airports simultaneously. But in the case of the Valley of Mexico, he said, orographic conditions it complicate everything.
“We have East volcano, to the West the sierra de Toluca, and to the South the sierra de Ajusco. Only we can approximate by Northwest and the Northeast. “If this airport (the current Benito Juárez) nothing more we can approximate by Northwest, and Northeast, and St. Lucia also, because there is a risk of collision”, said the captain.
Bernardo Lisker, international director of Mitre, American Center specializing in aeronautical navigation, coincided in pointing out that it would not be feasible that operate at the same time Benito Juárez airport and St. Lucia with commercial flights, coincides his approach route.
Jimenez Espriu said, in case of being elected St. Lucia, ICAO would do a new study to 2013, and it will cost another 600 thousand $, to ensure safety and compatibility of the airspace.
Opponents of another controversial point of the NAIM NAIM is having a fierce opposition from members of indigenous peoples and indigenous peoples coming to the area where the works are performed who demand to stop claiming that it is already generating a strong environmental impact in Lake Texcoco.
In addition, the people’s front in defense of the land (FPDT) and representatives of indigenous peoples of Tezoyuca, Texcoco, and Atlazalpan, among others, accuse the current federal Government stripped them of their lands, in order to promote a project that considered will have irreversible impact to the environment.
