The collective #SélvameDelTren delivered a letter to Unesco to request its help to stop the construction of section 5 of the Mayan Train.
Through a letter, the collective explained that Mexico’s natural heritage and humanity are at risk.
“Unfortunately this heritage is in danger of disappearing forever, the construction of Section 5 of the project called Mayan Train puts at risk this remarkable natural and cultural heritage of Mexico and humanity by trying to build the train tracks that will pass over the vestiges,” he said in the letter disseminated on social networks.
Octavio del Río, a specialist in underwater archaeology and one of the divers who signs the letter, explained in an interview with Animal Político, that the call to Unesco occurred after last June 21, the head of the Inah, Diego Prieto Hernández, said that in section 5 of the train there are few archaeological vestiges.
“In fact, in that stretch is where the oldest vestiges are not only of Mexico, but of all America. There are, for example, the origins of the first settlers of America. There they settled, there they liked to live, there they survived, and there their culture emerged, and later the Mayan culture, “said the underwater archaeologist.
Today, several members of #SelvameDelTren delivered a letter to the @UNESCOMexico about the danger that the Mayan Train is causing to our Natural and Cultural Heritage. There is evidence that it is one of the places with the greatest vestiges and biodiversity in Mexico and the world. pic.twitter.com/jRDWMjowCV
— SELVAME (@SelvameMX) July 6, 2022
Del Río pointed out that this area of Section 5 of the Mayan Train is not only very rich in archaeological terms, but it is also an area in which there is still much to explore. Therefore, he said, there is a risk that the train works will bury caves and cenotes that would remain uninvestigated, and that could affect the largest underground river system on the planet.
The expert insisted that, in the face of the statements of the head of the INAH, they decided to make “an international call for attention” before Unesco, “so that this cultural and archaeological heritage is preserved and cared for.”
Maya Train: temporary suspension
The First District Court of Yucatan granted the provisional suspension of the works so that the machines that have been cutting trees to make way for the work in the area that goes from Playa del Carmen to Tulum must stop immediately until the amparo is resolved in the background.
Following the suspension, the federal government held the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to demonstrate that the project is viable.
The MIA concluded that “severe” risks were identified for protected flora and fauna, “critical” damage to almost 500 hectares of forest, and possible damage to the karst soil of the area “due to subsidence and landslides” due to the “operation of machinery”, however, it described the project as viable.
With this study, which was prepared by the Institute of Ecology of the National Council of Science and Technology (Conacyt), the federal government seeks to unblock the works in that section.
According to data from the federal government, the works of Section 5 South of the Mayan Train will cost 31,500 million pesos to cover the 67 kilometers that go from Playa del Carmen to Tulum, in Quintana Roo.
With information from Manu Ureste
What we do at Animal Político requires professional journalists, teamwork, dialogue with readers and something very important: independence. You can help us keep going. Be part of the team.
Subscribe to Animal Político, receive benefits and support free journalism.#YoSoyAnimal
