Mayan Train, the controversial hope for economic development in southern Mexico

The hope that the Mayan Train, the emblematic work of the president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, take to the southeast of Mexico, traditionally forgotten, greater visibility and economic growth never seen before is latent in local ejidatarios, although they recognize the impact on labor and ways of life.

“I believe that this, by bringing a fairly large economic impact to the entire area, is obvious that there will be an economic improvement and therefore the standard of living in the area has to increase,” José Eduardo Angulo Cab, ejidal commissioner of Laguna Guerrero, explained to EFE on a tour of the area.

The Mayan Train includes more than 1,500 kilometers of railway track for transporting cargo, tourists and local passengers in the five states of the southeast of the country: Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco and Yucatán.

Angulo considered that, for producers and residents of the area, the train works have brought an unprecedented economic prosperity since work began on sections 6, which goes from Tulum to Chetumal (255 kilometers); and the 7 that runs through Chetumal to Escárcega, 254 kilometers.

“The income is already different. It is no longer what people previously earned in the city or in a restaurant or any company.”he stressed, recognizing that many people who previously worked on construction sites have been employed by the Mayan Train since they are paid “perhaps double” what they can receive in any other company.

For his part, Roberto Salgado Sangri, president of the commissariat of the Peninsula ejido, agreed that the train has benefited not only by bringing employment to various sectors, but also to the ejidos through which the tracks pass, the traditional Mexican type of property. land collective, linked to the agrarian reform of the early 20th century.

“It has benefited them in terms of payment for the land where the train line will pass. So there they have had economic remuneration for the sale of their lands, that is an important impact, the economic one”he admitted.

Greater visibility

With an area of ​​5,400 hectares and a diversity of natural attractions, the Ejido La Península in the municipality of Othón P. Blanco, had remained forgotten by the Government for more than 40 years, activists noted.

In fact, there are still areas where they do not have basic services such as electricity and drinking water, which is why Salgado Sangri expressed hope that the Mayan Train can make visible and help solve these problems.

Likewise, farmers are optimistic that the Mayan Train will help reduce the transportation costs of their goods, such as lemons or pitayas, since they currently have difficulties marketing them due to being in the extreme southeast of the country.

“That would be a great benefit for us as producers because if we concentrate our products in Chetumal (state capital) and from there they can be taken, I don’t know to the center of the country, to Tabasco, Chiapas, I don’t know, then that “I think it would bring us a benefit,” Angulo pointed out.

The ejidatarios recognize that in addition, this mega-project, of more than 1,500 kilometers, has encouraged the purchase of land by people seeking to promote ecotourism in the area.

Impact on labor

However, one of the collateral effects that this work has had is that it has reduced the workforce on their lands since, according to Angulo Cab, in the work of the Mayan Train a person can earn 500 pesos (almost US$ 28) for 8 working hours and they cannot pay even half of that.

“As producers it is a little difficult for us to get people to go to the fields to work, because the most we can pay is 250 pesos (US$13.75), it is half of what they pay”said.

But, he also acknowledged that there is uncertainty after the completion of the work because it is not known what the people who currently work on the Train will be used for.

With “All that labor that they currently have in the area, what is the Government’s plan going to be?”he said when assessing the future of the workers.