Mexico's Maya Train Project Inaugurated Amid Environmental Concerns

Critics question the long-term economic viability of the $20 billion tourist train, which has been pushed through despite significant environmental objections.

Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador inaugurated the first part of the Maya Train project, a $20 billion, 950-mile tourist train that runs around the Yucatan peninsula, connecting beach resorts and archaeological sites.
The project, which is not yet finished, has been met with criticism from environmentalists who argue that it has caused significant damage to the region's ecosystem, including the second-largest rainforest in Latin America and a system of subterranean caves and rivers.
Despite legal appeals and protests, the project was pushed through by the government, which declared the infrastructure works a matter of 'national security'.
The train was partly built and will be operated by the Mexican army, reflecting a trend of increasing militarisation under López Obrador's administration.
Questions remain about the train's long-term economic benefits and whether it will cover its operating costs, particularly as the only significant source of income would be from tourists.

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