Natural gas price transparency & key data for the N Learn More: EOD natural gas forward price curves at 70+ key North American trading locations Forward curve prices of natural gas in North America Mexico natural gas pricing data & fundamentals Insight into tomorrow's natural gas prices and historical data Pricing and market developments for shale and unconventional plays and market developments for shale and unconventional plays A modular LNG project at Coatzacoalcos on the Gulf of Mexico could be online quickly and serve to develop the region’s natural gas networks according to financial advisor Diego Pecoraro Pecoraro serves as a partner at Sun Peak Energy, a Mexico City-based consultancy. Sun Peak Energy has been retained by Comercializadora Aqualita SA and Casarve Servicios SRL to facilitate the sale of Coatzacoalcos II, a proposed LNG greenfield terminal situated in the Port of Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico Pecoraro has more than 12 years of experience in mergers and acquisitions and development projects and has worked on renewable energy projects hydrocarbon terminals and commercial real estate across Latin America for international companies including BBVA Pecoraro holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Tecnológico de Monterrey Estado de México and an MBA specialized in renewable energy from the University of Applied Sciences of Berlin He has also earned a certificate in energy innovation from Stanford University.Editor’s Note: NGI’s Mexico Gas Price Index a leading tracker of Mexico’s natural gas market reform offers the following Q&A column as part of a series of periodic interviews with market experts of natural gas in Mexico Pecoraro is the 138th expert to participate in the series NGI: Could you tell us some more about the LNG export project you are developing in Mexico in Veracruz Pecoraro: This project really was born about two or two and half years ago. I was in contact with Santiago Arroyo there was a growing sense of political uncertainty and there was some uncertainty about what would be the landscape to allow for the development of infrastructure projects Arroyo told me he had acquired a natural gas transport contract and from there the project started to take shape in terms of how to develop it the government was looking to prioritize economic development projects From there the project evolved from an idea to become something more tangible at that time the Ukraine-Russia war had begun and we saw how U.S which the country was well positioned to do given existing natural gas infrastructure and its geographic location Initially we were thinking of doing this project in three phases we determined it can be done in one single phase And that is to optimize the investment and take advantage of the economics of LNG currently where it seems that interest rates are lowering makes infrastructure projects increasingly more interesting These projects assure profitability in the long-term and that’s attractive to investors because it’s a return that can be assured and fixed when tied to a contract Initially the project was going to be smaller with a capacity for just 12 MMcf/d though we decided to expand it following discussions with stakeholders The project developers see that there is the capacity for such a project in Coatzacoalcos which is continuing to be industrialized more and more The availability of this gas in the region could be used not only for export NGI: What were the factors that you considered when choosing to develop the project in Coatzacoalcos Pecoraro: This project will be principally located in Coatzacoalcos not only for its excellent geographic location The port of Veracruz is highly industrialized and has the advantage of having direct access to the Atlantic ocean So the project won’t just be able to serve European demand Many Caribbean island nations import a large part of their energy supply at a high cost being in close proximity to these countries a plant such as the one we are planning can service these markets at certain times of the year in addition to the existing regional infrastructure Coatzacoalcos is located in a special industrial area known as Polos de Desarrollo para el Bienestar These are strategic areas the government has pledged to develop and they act as a sort of free-trade zone where there are economic incentives and tax breaks offered Our project is in an area located within the Podebis zone in Veracruz We think that presents an opportunity because the government seeks industrial development in the zone and this project will be helping them achieve that objective which we think will generate better conditions in terms of permitting and support the project won’t only serve to attract investment but would also include the development of infrastructure and generate employment as well as secondary economic opportunities We’ve seen this in other terminals and plant projects and it leads to local hires and employment which also boosts local businesses such as restaurants and the development of other service industries to attend to the new economic activities in the region there are economic benefits such as exemptions of up to 100% of income taxes if the project meets certain criteria That is something that is reviewed annually by the government to assure that a project is complying with all of the characteristics required to receive that exemption if you’re receiving a 100% income tax break it creates a great profit opportunity for projects being developed in the economic zone president and he has ordered a lift on the LNG export permit pause that President Joe Biden issued early last year a recent Department of Energy (DOE) study warned that doing so would have a negative environmental impact and increase U.S LNG export pause impacted the plans for the development of your proposed terminal project in Coatzacoalcos Pecoraro: I think looking at this from a geopolitical standpoint it makes sense to consider the global industry’s “world energy trilemma,” which seeks affordable energy that is sustainable and provides energy security We know that the arrival of Trump is going to mean a change in policies versus what Biden has done but energy security continues to be a major issue and concern of European countries That doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon and currently the premiums that these countries are paying for the supply of natural gas makes LNG export projects attractive given the current market conditions and currently LNG imports in many cases represent the most affordable option to meet those needs NGI: Since Mexico began the development of LNG export projects a few years ago there have been a lot of questions in the sector about how these developments actually benefit the country natural gas and then ships it abroad to foreign markets a common question in the local industry is: How do these LNG export projects benefit Mexico Pecoraro: It’s well documented that Mexico has this hyper dependency on U.S natural gas imports to meet local electricity demand The current government has said that it wants to develop more local natural gas to improve energy security though local production has continued to decline I think the economic benefit for Mexico is that the country is using the U.S natural gas supply it has under contract to develop an entirely separate economic opportunity By using the natural gas it imports from the U.S and I think that is the economic benefit to the country particularly at a time when the future of new U.S NGI: In the first months of the administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum she and Pemex CEO Víctor Rodríguez have said Mexico will seek to develop more domestic natural gas production Do you think Mexico should prioritize more natural gas development if the country wants to reach its goal of energy security Pecoraro: I don’t know if Mexico should prioritize development of its own natural gas but it certainly seems to be a relevant time to evaluate its supply dependency on the U.S Because if Mexico does intend to boost its own production it has to evaluate if doing so — which would be costly — provides the country a better economic margin than importing from the U.S fuel prices affect the consumer at the end of the day it’s a very sensitive political and social issue I think the government needs to evaluate how — if it is to develop more of its own natural gas resources — such a decision might impact consumers’ pockets I think that we need to evaluate what a possible strategy might be that incorporates domestic natural gas production into the energy mix without affecting consumer prices in a negative manner Williams is a reporter and writer based in Mexico City that has covered Latin America for 10 years previously with Bloomberg both in Mexico and Central America His work has appeared in Bloomberg BusinessWeek the Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune Centrica plc has agreed to sell LNG to Brazil’s Petróleo Brasileiro SA nearly one-third of which the UK company is expected to source from its U.S reflecting Latin America’s reliance on supplies of the super-chilled fuel from the United States even as demand remains uneven A wave of new LNG supply may loosen the global natural gas market in the coming years but this would likely spur a corresponding uptick in demand Colombia imported record levels of LNG in 2024 and its state-owned oil and gas company may be eyeing LNG as a keystone for energy security Mexico’s Senate is set to debate new legislation in the next few weeks that could drive development of cogeneration natural gas plants according to lead experts and lawyers in the industry North American natural gas prices have been on a tear for the last few weeks as bitingly cold winter weather in the United States drags on into late February Mexico’s Senate made public the package of bills and reforms presented by President Claudia Sheinbaum aimed at reconfiguring the energy sector The reforms redefine the role of the state in the energy sector by placing Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) and the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) as predominant actors in the hydrocarbons and electricity value chains Believing that transparent markets empower businesses Natural Gas Intelligence (NGI) provides natural gas price transparency and key news and data for the North American energy markets The new Interoceanic Train — a legacy project of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador that already transverses Mexico’s midsection from one ocean to another — is ready to inaugurate a second line The new line from the Coatzacoalcos station in the state of Veracruz to the Palenque station in Chiapas is slated to open to the public this weekend following a ceremonial first ride by López Obrador scheduled for Friday It appears as if the 70-year-old president whose term will conclude at the end of this month will board the train at the Teapa station in Tabasco although some early media reports said he would board in Coatzacoalcos Either way, his final destination will be the station in Palenque, which is near the famous archaeological site. The Palenque station also serves as a connection point with the Maya Train a 1,554-kilometer railroad project that runs through five southern Mexico states Just last weekend, López Obrador rode the Maya Train with President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum and other dignitaries — from Cancún to Bacalar in Quintana Roo to showcase new stations in Playa del Carmen The Interoceanic Train has three lines that include both freight and passenger trains and is part of a larger government infrastructure project called the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT) 308-kilometer line crosses Mexico’s narrowest stretch between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean —  a route that will be able to transport 1.4 million shipping containers annually on journeys of less than 6 hours Some analysts say the route could be faster and more economical than the Panama Canal That section — from Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, to Salina Cruz, Oaxaca — was inaugurated by López Obrador in December 2023. It is also known as line Z as cited by the newspaper Diario del Istmo 127 freight and passenger trains covered line Z from its December 2023 opening through June 2024 generating income of 8.1 million pesos (US $421,566) and carrying some 33,000 passengers The train project includes two other lines one of which is the 329-kilometer stretch of railway set to open this weekend Also known as the FA line Cuichapa and Las Choapas in Veracruz; Roberto Ayala Juárez and Teapa in Tabasco; and Pino Suárez and Palenque (also called Pakal Ná) in Chiapas the FA line will be fully operational as of Sept The third line will cover 472 kilometers from Ixtepec which is adjacent to the Mexico-Guatemala border Originally projected to be open this summer line K is now targeted to be completed by the end of the year Ticket sales for the FA line — so named for a 1950s train line that was used to transport merchandise over the same tracks — began on Thursday Prices range from 36 pesos (US $1.87) to over 600 pesos (US $32.21) class of service (tourist or business) and age but have to share a seat with their adult; children over 11 must pay adult prices although they can’t travel alone until age 18 while business class has reclining leather seats a retractable table and more space for luggage Train construction and travel has been on the rise (and costly) during López Obrador’s administration, and Sheinbaum has pledged it will continue ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC Salma Hayek is one of the most recognized actresses in Hollywood the Mexican actress left her homeland to pursue a career in acting building a path that has led her to great success But did you know that before becoming a famous actress Salma was just a little girl who grew up playing with friends in the streets and on the beach Here’s a look at the house where she grew up in her hometown: Coatzacoalcos,Veracruz at 520 18 de Marzo Avenue in downtown Coatzacoalcos stands the house where Salma Hayek took her first steps it was known as one of the most luxurious homes in the city with wood details and marble finishes that made it stand out to all who passed by ALSO READ What does it mean to like serial killer series and movies, according to psychology? the house where young Salma once dreamed of becoming an actress is now a shadow of its former self resembling a setting for a horror or disaster film Decades of neglect have left the facade covered in overgrowth The staircase she once climbed is now decaying and the large windows have disappeared—as if a hurricane had destroyed everything in its path the house is desolate: the entryway is full of garbage and debris The beautiful garden with a pool is now overgrown and filled with stagnant water The car now has broken windows and shows signs of decay the house has been a shelter for homeless people and a hideout for criminals ALSO READ Who’s who in You Season 5? We explain the house—already in ruins—was sold to singer Joan Sebastian who planned to renovate it into a luxury restaurant Salma was set to be the guest of honor at its opening the house was inherited by his son Julián Figueroa Julián stated that the house was already in poor condition when his father bought it and he lacked the resources for renovations and chose instead to prioritize his child’s well-being the property was listed for 5 million pesos and the house is now owned by his young son a Lebanese-Mexican businessman involved in local politics she was sent to study in Louisiana at age 12 she studied International Relations at Universidad Iberoamericana but left to pursue acting—a decision initially opposed by her family She began with small roles and commercials until landing the lead in the soap opera Teresa which unexpectedly became a hit and launched her to fame in Mexico She later moved to Los Angeles to study at the Stella Adler acting school where she focused entirely on training for two years ALSO READ Walmart offers fuel discounts! Here’s how to get it Her international career began with the film El callejón de los milagros in Mexico she made her directorial debut with El milagro de Maldonado at the Morelia Film Festival the result of her relationship with French businessman François-Henri Pinault Although they announced the cancellation of their engagement in 2008 they eventually had a civil wedding in Paris in February 2009 and held a religious ceremony in Venice in April of the same year Coatzacoalcos is a city in the southeastern state of Veracruz,Mexico It’s a major urban and economic hub in the region driven by its industrial port and strategic location in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec ⇒ SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CONTENT ON GOOGLE NEWS Tariffs have not only affected the countries subject to them who wonder if supermarket prices will rise Red Lobster has decided to offer promotions to its customers so they can enjoy Cinco de Mayo with delicious food and its iconic drinks a strategy that allows you to achieve more interactions with less effort In-N-Out has announced plans to open more locations nationwide so customers can enjoy their favorite foods even closer to home © Copyright 2017 MERCADOTECNIA PUBLICIDAD MARKETING NOTICIAS | Revista Merca2.0 – All Rights Reserved – The total or partial reproduction of the contents of this site is prohibited without the written authorization of Grupo de Comunicación Katedra S.A. de C.V. Privacy Policy (Spanish) Usamos cookies para ofrecerte la mejor experiencia en nuestra web Puedes encontrar más información sobre qué cookies estamos usando o desactivarlas en los ajustes Esta web utiliza cookies para que podamos ofrecerte la mejor experiencia de usuario posible La información de las cookies se almacena en tu navegador y realiza funciones tales como reconocerte cuando vuelves a nuestra web o ayudar a nuestro equipo a comprender qué secciones de la web encuentras más interesantes y útiles Las cookies estrictamente necesarias tiene que activarse siempre para que podamos guardar tus preferencias de ajustes de cookies Si desactivas esta cookie no podremos guardar tus preferencias Esto significa que cada vez que visites esta web tendrás que activar o desactivar las cookies de nuevo Mexican firms Comercializadora Aqualita SA and Casarve Servicios SRL are designing a ready-to-build LNG project in the Mexican Gulf port of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz It joins a host of other LNG projects in Mexico that are seeking to get off the ground The Coatzacoalcos II LNG terminal would target European as well as South American markets according to Casarve director Santiago Arroyo without the assistance of Mexican state utility Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) CFE had previously announced a potential tender for an LNG facility for Coatzacoalcos The Coatzacoalcos II project would use natural gas sourced from the United States but with the optionality to use Mexican gas Gas would be delivered via the Pajaritos II pipeline which is operated by Impact Oil & Gas SA de CV TC Energy Corp.’s Southeast Gateway pipeline an extension of the 2.6 Bcf/d Sur de Texas-Tuxpan line is also planned for service in the Coatzacoalcos area when it goes into operation later this year The project would be designed for modular LNG trains and a fast start up natural gas reserves provides a reliable and low-cost feedstock for LNG terminals in Mexico ensuring a competitive cost structure,” the companies said in an investment brief on the project The project would benefit from “the extensive cross-border pipeline networks” that “facilitate the transportation of gas enabling LNG facilities to maintain steady supply chains while optimizing operating expenses coupled with Mexico’s competitive labor and infrastructure costs,” they added Even as the source of the natural gas is the United States, Mexico is leading a push across Latin America to develop the LNG business Beyond one operating export terminal and one under construction there are another seven proposed LNG export projects in Mexico with 44.2 million tons/year (Mt/y) in combined capacity In August, New Fortress Energy Inc.(NFE) shipped the first cargo of U.S natural gas liquefied in Mexico to foreign markets which was also Mexico’s first-ever export of LNG NFE’s export terminal is a 1.4 Mt/y offshore facility near the port of Altamira New Fortress plans another train at its current offshore site But most of the other projects are on the Pacific coast and target Asian markets Sempra Infrastructure’s Energia Costa Azul in Baja California Mexico — which has a capacity of 3.3 million tons/year — is the only LNG export project under construction in Latin America currently Mexico Pacific Ltd. LLC is also homing in on a final investment decision for its Saguaro LNG project in Sonora The Houston-based firm has been working for years to place all the pieces together for the 15 Mt/y first phase proposed for Puerto Libertad Christopher was promoted to Managing Editor having joined NGI as a Senior Editor for Mexico and Latin America in November 2018 he was a Senior Editorial Manager at BNamericas in Santiago he has covered Latin American energy markets since 2009 as a reporter He has an MA in International Economic Policy from Columbia University and a BA in International Studies from Trinity College Rising water levels have restored transits through the Panama Canal but the canal authority is also looking into how a land bridge could move even more cargo across the isthmus ACP administrator Ricaurte Vasquez Morales recently unveiled a vision to boost the canal’s capacity by 5m containers a year by 2045 up from a comparatively modest 8.3m today – by moving boxes overland The Tehuantepec corridor would connect the ports of Salina Cruz and Coatzacoalcos; Veracruz and Coatzacoalcos are on the same coast If the tariff offensive by its northern neighbour raised .. Taiwan’s Yang Ming is bullish about long-haul ocean freight rates as it embarks on fleet .. Donald Trump appears to have ‘weaponised’ the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) as part of US .. China has slammed CK Hutchison’s plans to sell some 80% of its port holdings to .. Panama has elected not to renew its belt and road (BRI) .. In this episode of The Loadstar’s News in Brief Podcast stakeholders should not expect container lines to immediately return to using .. Ocean container teu-mile trade grew 18% year on year in 2024 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] email: [email protected] email: [email protected] email: [email protected] An Allseas pipelay barge has gone aground in the Gulf of Mexico in a storm and divers are at work in an attempt to refloat the vessel.  a pipelay barge owned by the Swiss engineering pioneer Allseas went aground during a tropical wave event off Coatzacoalcos It was under way for a terminal on the Coatzacoalcos River when the tow line connecting its tug parted The attempt was not successful and the vessel grounded off Villa Allende #HechosAmVeracruz | Un barco encalló???? en la playa de ????Villa Allende en Coatzacoalcos luego de ser arrastrado por el oleaje. pic.twitter.com/Z4z5vD15QC Rescuers were deployed to evacuate the barge's crew and it took approximately 24 hours to pull all nonessential personnel off the barge safely Videos from the scene suggest that the responders rigged a liferaft connected to the ship and the shore by lines and then pulled the personnel through the surf zone in small groups A portion of the crew remained behind to assist with the salvage Mexico's navy oversaw the rescue operation and it has taken charge of safety during the refloat operation that will follow.   Allseas said that the crew successfully ballasted the barge intentionally grounding it on a sandbar in a stable position There is no current risk of pollution from the vessel and the next priority is to refloat and move the barge to a safe port when weather allows The relevant authorities have been notified Tog Mor is a spread-moor offshore construction barge converted for pipelay capability in 2002 It is specially designed for shallow water operation and it has a 10-point spread mooring system It can lay subsea pipe up to 60 inches in diameter and it has a 300-tonne deck crane for construction operations.   completed the project to expand its industrial facility in Coatzacoalcos and increased production capacity by around 15 percent This investment in the expansion of the plant was made to strengthen the group's ability to serve industrial and consumer markets - not only in Mexico said: "To make progress on our way to becoming a leading specialty chemicals company Clariant focuses on the allocation of investments in areas with excellent growth potential One of these important strategic markets in the Americas is Mexico its export strength and our highly motivated and qualified workforce" added: "We have a strong presence in Mexico and sales offices located in Santa Clara (Mexico State) which provides solutions to multiple industries and we continuously invest in new technologies to better meet the needs of our customers" The expansion project in Coatzacoalcos took approximately two years to complete concluding within the planned timeframe and budget and with zero accidents Included amongst the benefits it is bringing to the local communities is the creation of indirect service jobs in areas such as transportation and maintenance the Coatzacoalcos plant has continuously been expanded over the last 15 years It currently occupies an area of 76,000 square meters has over 100 employees and manufactures a wide variety of Clariant products With more than 50 years of operations in Mexico Clariant continues to have a long history of being a preferred provider of specialty chemicals and relies on a strategy of continuous growth Clariant's facilities have grown over these 50 years and employ more than 600 people in its operations in Santa Clara (Mexico State) Puebla (Puebla State) and Coatzacoalcos (Veracruz) Activists from Greenpeace Mexico and other organizations demonstrated Sunday at a sprawling open-air garbage dump in the state of Veracruz denouncing the country’s growing plastic waste crisis and calling for urgent action The protesters — some dressed in hazardous material suits and holding a huge banner reading “Anti-Plastic Law Now!” — temporarily blocked operations at the Villa Allende landfill in Coatzacoalcos, a major port city in southern Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico According to activists with the Allende 213 environmental group the 33-year-old dump began as a facility for waste only from the locality of Villa Allende And since there is no tangible division between the landfill and nearby homes and businesses — some less than 500 meters away  — Villa Allende is being impacted with air Nearby residents have long reported issues with noxious odors and health concerns linked to the facility’s operation the Sunday protest was about more than just Villa Allende The activists called for immediate government intervention to tackle plastic pollution and improve management of overflowing and unregulated garbage dumps throughout the nation — where single-use plastics such as PET bottles industrial plastics and construction materials are usually the most commonly found items “Facilities like this exacerbate environmental and public health risks particularly for nearby communities,” Greenpeace said in a statement The activists urged national and local authorities to more strictly enforce existing legal bans on disposable plastics while also prioritizing investments in infrastructure for waste segregation They also called for incentives for sustainable alternatives Mexico generates an estimated 1.9 million tons of plastic waste annually The newspaper El País cited a report by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) indicating the situation of plastic pollution on the coasts has reached critical levels landfills and dumps have become flashpoints for community grievances over pollution and public health risks has said he will close the Villa Allende dump this year in coordination with Semarnat the local “government has filed an appeal against the closure and so far the dump remains” open Greenpeace Mexico urged citizens to sign a petition that aims to get an anti-plastic law presented to the Senate Armed gang sealed emergency exits of venue before setting fire to entrance hall in worst single act of violence since Amlo took office At least 26 people have been killed and 11 others seriously injured in an arson attack on a Mexican bar, which has highlighted the failure of the country’s new president to quickly bring down record levels of violence. An armed gang stormed the Caballo Blanco, or White Horse, nightclub in the Mexican city of Coatzacoalcos at around 10pm on Tuesday night. They sealed the emergency exits before setting fire to the entrance hall and making their escape, apparently taking the establishment’s owner with them. Read moreThe attack on the strip club is the worst single act of violence since Andrés Manuel López Obrador took office in December with the promise that his term would bring a new era of peace rooted in reliance on operations by the army and navy He disappointed human rights organizations and security experts by creating a new permanent crime-fighting force largely from military recruits and putting it under military control The president described last night’s attack in Coatzacoalcos a gritty Gulf coast city focused on the oil industry very sad” in his daily early morning press conference López Obrador promised a rigorous investigation would “get to the bottom” of the case that “One is that it is regrettable that organized crime acts in this way It is the most inhuman thing possible,” he said If we don’t at least separate off the authorities from the criminals we will not get anywhere.” López Obrador said there was evidence that the attackers included an alleged local cartel operator identified as Ricardo “N” who had recently been captured but then released Though López Obrador initially suggested this release was due to local level corruption the state attorney general’s office hit back with a comuniqué insisting La Loca had been the responsibility of the federal authorities The attack took place nearly eight years after 52 people were killed after gunmen burst into a casino in the northern city of Monterrey and set it ablaze That attack was widely blamed on local authorities turning a blind eye to the group’s extortion said early evidence suggested the attack was motivated by efforts to sell drugs at the bar Photographs from the scene showed the bodies of naked women lying between toppled tables and chairs “Coatzacoalcos today has a situation in which different groups want to sell their drugs in these kinds of places and fight between each other,” the governor “But this time it looks like one group was pressuring the bar because the owner was kidnapped.” This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Investigative journalist María Teresa Montaño Delgado was kidnapped and threatened due to her exposé of corruption allegations involving the misappropriation of millions of taxpayer funds by the State of Mexico (Edomex) The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands firmly in solidarity with María Teresa Montaño Delgado and demands that Mexican authorities launch a thorough investigation into the case ensuring that those responsible are held accountable through appropriate legal measures which has maintained uninterrupted control over the state for almost a century Montaño found herself in a dilapidated neighborhood seeking out an address that turned out to be a second-floor apartment in a pastel-pink residential building on a nondescript street part of a consortium holding contracts worth approximately $55 million devoid of any business operations or staff The crumbling building shocked her, confirming her suspicions about the illogical contract, and that this fake company was part of a scheme to embezzle significant amounts of public money. "That's why they tried to silence me." stated Montaño, who is the founder and editor-in-chief of the independent news website, the Observer Coatzacoalcos, a city engulfed in a violent turf war between rival cartels hardly seemed like a plausible location for a human resources firm with multimillion-dollar contracts on the other side of the country The contracts were not the sole questionable agreements unearthed by Montaño in her pursuit of information In early 2021, she discovered numerous contracts worth millions of dollars awarded to companies and individuals across Mexico many of which pertained to vaguely defined products and services available locally in areas such as cleaning Although these companies and contracts seemed legitimate on paper forensic accountant Muna Dora Buchahin Abulhosn who has led investigations into state-run embezzlement schemes A quick search on Google Maps revealed that the premises of companies awarded lucrative contracts were oddly located in residential streets Some addresses were either associated with multiple companies or didn't exist at all certain companies lacked functional websites despite having multimillion-dollar contracts According to Montaño the contracts were intentionally signed with remote companies to make it nearly impossible for local journalists to conduct physical verification Montaño remained relentless in her pursuit of answers continuously posing questions and procuring relevant documents she believes that her tenacity and dedication to uncovering the truth ultimately led to her kidnapping Montaño's revelations proved potentially embarrassing for the PRI which desperately sought to retain control over the state in the June 4 elections exposing corruption can be perilous in Mexico Mexico recorded the deaths of 15 journalists last year making it one of the most dangerous countries for the media The pervasive violence and the resulting culture of impunity exert a chilling effect routinely suppressing reporters through threats and blacklisting tactics that hinder access to employment and information On August 13, 2021 while on her way to a scheduled medical visit in Toluca She parked it at a nearby convenience store and opted to take a bus to the clinic instead The clinic was situated close to the state congress building which was extensively monitored by surveillance cameras Later in the day as a torrential rainstorm ensued, Montaño found herself drenched when a white car, resembling a taxi, beckoned her to embark – marking the beginning of a harrowing evening a slender man in the passenger seat swiftly pulled a revolver upon Montaño's entry into the car asserting that her cooperation would ensure her survival another man masked her vision by placing her own Covid mask over her eyes Montaño adamantly denied being a journalist her captors astonishingly possessed information about her residence as well as the precise location where she had left her car Upon arrival at her house, the assailants proceeded to thoroughly search Montaño's home then abandoned her blindfolded on a desolate lot several miles away approximately four hours after kidnapping her she relied on a distant source of light to navigate her way to a nearby shopping mall where she could finally reach out to her family for assistance Montaño reported the kidnapping to the authorities It was only later that she realized her assailants had confiscated her laptops "They stole my entire investigation," said Montaño underscoring the urgency of sharing her findings with the public the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Forbidden Stories partnered with Montaño working closely with her to scrutinize numerous state contracts issued during the tenure of Alfredo del Mazo Maza whose family held power in Edomex for 29 years The investigation involved physically visiting each company address associated with the contracts and seeking insights from corruption and political experts well-versed in the Mexican context.  utilizing approximately 15 front and shell companies with a combined value surpassing $300 million Alfredo del Mazo Maza's tenure ended with his loss of office in the June 4 election also marking the end of the 96-year stronghold of political control for the PRI party.  Montaño has dedicated herself to reporting on the political landscape Serving as a correspondent for esteemed national newspapers she has consistently demonstrated a determination to shed light on sensitive issues often running afoul of influential individuals in the process Her track record reflects a steadfast commitment to unearthing the truth and holding powerful figures accountable for their actions she actively advocates for the protection of freedom of expression for journalists in Mexico Montaño actively collaborates with organizations such as Article 19 and CIMAC dedicating her efforts to advancing the rights and safety of journalists she played a pivotal role in the development of Mexico's Law for the Protection of Journalists contributing to the creation of legislation aimed at safeguarding the well-being and security of journalists within the country The perilous media climate in Mexico  The collusion between officials and organized crime is a serious danger to the safety of journalists and greatly undermines the judicial system at every level Reporters who delve into sensitive political issues or criminal activities Some are forcefully taken and their whereabouts remain unknown while others are left with no choice but to flee to different parts of the country or even abroad in order to protect their lives President López Obrador has not implemented the necessary reforms to address this rampant violence and lack of accountability It is disheartening that nearly 150 journalists have been murdered in Mexico since 2000 CFWIJ has extensively documented a distressing number of incidents that specifically target women journalists in Mexico An alarming number of these incidents have tragically resulted in the loss of lives The Coalition For Women In Journalism unwaveringly supports María Teresa Montaño Delgado and urges authorities to uphold democratic values by ensuring that those who obstruct journalists in the performance of their duties are prosecuted The work of journalists is essential to covering stories that are vital to the public interest and they should be allowed to do their job without interference or fear of reprisal.  The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive If you have been harassed or abused in any way and please report the incident by using the following form From Trolling to Deepfakes: The Online War Against Women Journalists Weaponizing the Courts: Erdoğan’s Escalating Legal Repression of Women Journalists SLAPPs Targeting Women Journalists Covering Gender Issues: 2020 – 2024Russia’s War on the Press Transnational Repression: 2019 – 2024 Our Philosophy Team Board of Advisors Partners DelegationsJob Openings Global Chapters #HeforShe 2024 Events 2023 Events2022 Events2021 Events2020 Events Latest IssueAll Issues Reach out to usTwitterInstagramFacebook Harris vs Trump NewsroomReportsSpotlightTimelines Campaigns Legal Trials Against Journalists Apply for MentorshipHow Mentorship Works Strengthen Your Mental Health CFWIJ has compiled a list of select women journalists whom you can follow to stay informed on the pandemic The Coalition launched in March 2017 as a pro-bono org From 2019 it will be operating as an NGO with the seed funding received from Craig Newmark Philanthropies The energy of rivers is key to fighting climate change hydroelectric infrastructure requires adequate planning based on a comprehensive In Mexico’s vibrant Coatzacoalcos River Basin The Nature Conservancy is using one river to achieve this Hydroelectric power allows us to prevent the emission of three gigatons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere or around ten percent of the planet´s total emissions the necessary infrastructure for hydropower development can introduce a significant amount of environmental risks including competition for the use of water between agriculture and the provision of drinking water to cities and small towns Hydropower by Design is an integral approach to the planning and management of hydropower development at a macro-basin scale and helps prevent negative environmental and social impacts The first stage of this new form of planning and implementation focuses on identifying the interests of all stakeholders and incorporating ecological and social considerations to optimize benefits and promote sustainability TNC is using the system-scale approach to help the government of Mexico develop this tool in a major tributary of the Gulf of America: the Coatzacoalcos River The project involves Mexico’s Secretary of Energy (SENER) and the Mexican Association of Hydroelectric Energy (AMEXHIDRO) And the Interamerican Development Bank has provided  $700,000 in funding Working in partnerships with these stakeholders TNC uses scientifically-developed assessment evaluation and planning tools to reduce investment risks in hydroelectric infrastructure projects The systemic planning effort at the macro level permits the evaluation of impacts these projects can have on industry and agriculture on the lives of towns and cities in Veracruz - one of the richest states in Mexico both culturally and naturally - and on the biodiversity that inhabits the river and gives it life Based on the information the project provides the Mexican government may avoid conflicts and develop innovative diagnostic negotiation and evaluation mechanisms that benefit not only users of river-produced energy but local communities as well Thanks to efforts such as those based on the Hydropower by Design approach fighting climate change can also become a way to drive development and conservation efforts News & Reviews News Wire Mexico launches Interoceanic Train service Route across Isthmus of Tehuantepec is envisioned as competition for Panama Canal Mexico has inaugurated passenger service on a new rail line operations began for the Interoceanic Railroad It is the key piece of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec a $2.8 billion project that also includes expansion of the ports at the two endpoints as well as creation of a series of industrial parks and upgraded highways The rail line and corridor have been championed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who also led the construction of the controversial Maya Train line that opened last week [see “Long delays, late trains mark start of Maya Train service,” Trains News Wire A branch line connecting the Interoceanic Corridor and the Maya train is slated to be completed next year López Obrador marked the line’s opening at an event in Salina Cruz, Mexico News Daily reports before making what was expected to be an 8-hour trip on the first train to Coatzacoalcos While the route will feature passenger service its primary objective is to provide a freight alternative to shipping through the Panama Canal Freight service will begin at a later date “All the Asian countries are very interested,” López Obador said Friday, according to a Reuters report López Obrador said Mexico’s navy would manage and provide security for the corridor project The army has a similar role with the Maya Train In Panama several years of drought is affecting the availability of water to operate it and so there are a limited number of passages through the locks And even with the new locks there are container ships that exceed the size of the lock chambers Looks like a de-motored Budd SPV is being leased from Railexco JOHN …… History of these units Check the link in the next to last paragraph It has info as to the history of the equipment Members enjoy 15% off any purchase in our store. Join Today Get updates and special offers via email from Trains.com brands Residents warned of toxic fumes from fire at Coatzacoalcos works in Gulf state of Veracruz that produces chemicals for making plastics A large explosion has rocked a major petrochemical facility of Mexican national oil company Pemex in the Gulf state of Veracruz, killing at least three people, injuring dozens more and pumping a black cloud into the sky. told Reuters three people had died in the blast and as many as 45 were injured told local television that more than 60 people were injured occurred just after 3pm local time on Wednesday at the facility’s Chlorinate-3 plant near the port of Coatzacoalcos Local emergency officials said hundreds of people had been evacuated from the site Television footage showed an initial burst of flames followed by a tower of thick smoke Pemex warned local residents to keep their distance from the site due to what it described as a dissipating cloud of toxic fumes TV footage showed rainclouds gathering above the plant as evening fell was travelling to Coatzacoalcos late on Wednesday to oversee the response a vinyl petrochemical plant that is a joint venture between Pemex’s petrochemical unit and Mexican plastic pipe maker Mexichem In February a fire killed a worker at the PMV plant, which makes vinyl chloride monomer, also known as chloroethene, an industrial chemical used to produce plastic piping. That incident occurred just weeks after three workers were killed and seven injured when a fire broke out on a Pemex oil-processing platform in the Gulf of Mexico It also came as Pemex implements deep cost cuts to cope with a sharp drop in oil prices Mexico is in the midst of a historic push to lure private investors to revive its oil industry which enjoyed a decades-long monopoly over Mexico’s oil and gas sector until an energy reform opened up the sector in 2014 has experienced a series of high-profile accidents In 2013 at least 37 people were killed by a blast at its Mexico City headquarters and 26 people died in a fire at a Pemex natural gas facility in northern Mexico in September 2012 A 2015 fire at its Abkatun Permanente platform in the oil-rich Bay of Campeche affected oil output and cost the company up to $780m Pemex has said it reduced its annual accident rate in 2014 by more than 33% But a Reuters investigation found that Pemex was reducing its accident rate by including hours worked by office staff in its calculations A week after the Maya Train began running between Campeche and Cancún a modernized railroad linking the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec began operations on Friday President López Obrador inaugurated the Interoceanic Railroad between Salina Cruz at an event in the former city attended by various Mexican officials billionaire businessman Carlos Slim and others politicians and rulers have been dreaming” about connecting the two oceans for “centuries,” López Obrador said The railroad is the centerpiece of the US $2.8 billion Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT), a government project that also includes the expansion of the ports in Salina Cruz and Coatzacoalcos, highway upgrades and the establishment of 10 industrial parks Both passenger and freight trains will operate between Salina Cruz and Coatzacoalcos The government is touting the corridor as an alternative to the Panama Canal given that it will connect the Pacific and Atlantic oceans across a relatively narrow strip of land could be unloaded in Salina Cruz and put on a train for a journey of approximately 300 kilometers to Coatzacoalcos It could then be reloaded onto another ship before continuing on to the Gulf or Atlantic coasts of the United States Navy Minister José Rafael Ojeda Durán said in June that Mexico will become a “world shipping power” thanks to the construction of the trade corridor “estimate the rail line will be able to ship just a fraction of what the [Panama] canal moves.” López Obrador asserted that “all the Asian countries are very interested” in using the new railroad to move freight “because Panama is at capacity.” The approximately 80-kilometer-long Panama Canal has been affected by drought this year, leaving it without enough water to raise and lower ships and “forcing officials to slash the number of vessels they allow through,” according to The New York Times López Obrador on Friday once again confirmed that the navy will take charge of the CIIT. “All these [infrastructure] projects are being built with money from the budget We’re just the managers of the people’s money … and we have to leave all these projects in safe custody so we’ve decided that the Ministry of the Navy will take charge of the comprehensive isthmus project,” he said before boarding the train shortly after midday for what was expected to be an eight-hour trip to Coatzacoalcos Trains providing passenger services across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec have three classes: tourist (turista) executive (ejecutivo) and managerial (gerencial) The price of tickets is calculated depending on the distance a passenger wants to travel Completing the entire trip between Salina Cruz and Coatzacoalcos costs 457 pesos (about US $27) in tourist class 608 pesos (about US $36) in executive class and 1,554 pesos (about US $91) in managerial The level of comfort and the availability of amenities vary depending on the class Travel time is expected to be shorter than the eight hours scheduled for Friday’s inaugural run Tickets are available for purchase on the Interoceanic Railroad website and at the 10 stations Tickets for services this year have already sold out There are a total of 10 stations along the railroad which runs just over 300 kilometers between Salina Cruz and Coatzacoalcos According to information presented by the government on Friday passenger trains will have the capacity to transport approximately 400 people which will start running on the railroad at a later date will have the capacity to move 5,200 tonnes of cargo in 65 railcars López Obrador asserted that the opening of the railroad marks the commencement of a “new stage” in Mexico before remarking that “it’s not for our generation “… We’re on the way out … but we need to leave a future with possibilities of development for the new generations we have to think of those coming behind us López Obrador noted that the original trans-isthmus railroad opened in 1907 The Panama Canal opened seven years later in 1914 and “became the most important passage” for the movement of freight from the Pacific to the Atlantic “another passage” is “essential,” López Obrador said The president has long asserted that his government’s infrastructure projects in the south and southeast of the country the Maya Train railroad and the new Pemex refinery in Tabasco will help spur economic development in a historically disadvantaged region López Obrador acknowledged there has been opposition to the project and said that the government reached agreements with residents who had to vacate their homes due to the construction of stations and the resumption of train services across the isthmus “There were places where the tracks had been invaded alternatives were given to those who lived close [to the railroad],” he said “This is a project for the communities through which the train passes we’re going to continue helping them,” López Obrador added Two additional railroads that will connect with the Salina Cruz-Coatzacoalcos line (known as Line Z) will open next year A 328-kilometer-long section of the FA Line between Coatzacoalcos and Palenque is scheduled to begin operations next June director of the Interoceanic Train project That line will connect with Section 1 of the Maya Train railroad The FA Line will also connect Coatzacoalcos to Dos Bocas where Pemex’s new oil refinery is located The 476-kilometer-long K Line between Ciudad Ixtepec Oaxaca — a city about 60 kilometers north of Salina Cruz — and Ciudad Hidalgo is scheduled to open in the final quarter of next year The opening dates for the two lines announced by Morales on Friday are later than ones cited by López Obrador in September The president is an avowed train enthusiast, and would like to see a revitalization of Mexico’s once extensive passenger train network Last month, he published a decree that established the provision of passenger train services as a priority for national development taking a first step toward achieving his goal of restoring Mexico’s passenger train network to its former glory Soldiers on guard at Pemex petrochemical plant in Gulf port of Coatzacoalcos with relatives waiting for news of missing workers A leak has been blamed by Mexican authorities for the petrochemical plant blast that killed at least 24 people in the Gulf port of Coatzacoalcos The Mexican oil giant Pemex confirmed the deaths on Thursday and said 19 more remained in hospital, 13 with serious injuries, as it grappled with the latest in a series of fatal accidents to batter the company who travelled to the site of Wednesday’s blast but everything points to an accident,” Gonzalez Anaya said The massive explosion at the facility’s Chlorinate-3 plant in the Gulf state of Veracruz also injured 136 people Another 18 were unaccounted for and one badly damaged part of the plant had yet to be searched Chemical smells filled the air and the plants’ turbines still streamed grey smoke on Thursday afternoon as local and municipal police Most officials wore blue face masks to protect against the fumes demanding more information on missing relatives and at times throwing objects at the officials or pushing them The blast occurred at a vinyl petrochemical plant that is a joint venture between Pemex’s petrochemical unit and majority owner Mexican plastic pipe maker Mexichem Pemex operates the larger petrochemical complex where the plant was located Shares in Mexichem closed 5.2% lower on Thursday “We are desperate because no-one is coming out to show their face,” said Ancelma Cordero whose 21-year-old brother is one of the missing and has not responded to his mobile phone “They told us we were breathing toxins and we should leave,” she said of authorities President Enrique Peña Nieto said he would head to the region to attend to victims In February a fire killed a worker at the same plant an industrial chemical used in plastic piping The explosion was the latest in a litany of safety disasters that have plagued the state oil giant which is trying to stem the bleed of sliding output and slash costs as it creaks under the pressure of low crude prices Foreign companies relocating to Mexico will increasingly choose to establish their operations in the south of the country due to a lack of water in northern and central states according to the head economist at brokerage firm Grupo Bursátil México use large quantities of water and therefore seek to operate in areas where the resource is readily available “Companies seeking to relocate to our country will look for the most appropriate region for their functions,” she said Water is much more abundant in southern and southeastern states such as Chiapas Veracruz and Oaxaca than in central and northern states such as México state Widespread drought in recent times has exacerbated water shortages in some parts of the country Acuña noted that the government is aiming to attract companies to Mexico’s south via the construction of infrastructure projects such as the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT), which includes a train line between Pacific and Gulf of Mexico ports and a chain of soon-to-be-developed industrial parks there are Taiwanese semiconductor companies seeking to set up in our country but these types of industries need large quantities of water so both the government and the private sector are carrying out large infrastructure investments in the southern region with the objective of connecting with the east coast of the United States,” she said Such incentives will offset the higher cost of getting goods to the United States from the south of the country Companies operating in southern Mexico and seeking to get their products to the southeast and east of the United States could make use of the port at Veracruz or that in Coatzacoalcos in the same state which is set to connect with the Maya Train railroad in southeastern Mexico will facilitate the movement of goods to port Constellation, which brews Corona and other Modelo beers, decided to build a brewery in Veracruz after its partially-built project in Baja California was canceled by the federal government precisely due to concerns over the amount of water it would use The Isthmus of Tehuantepec trade corridor has, however, attracted significant interest from foreign companies, while Yucatán is one southeast state that has already benefited from nearshoring investment In addition to water, Acuña said that the government must be able to guarantee a reliable supply of electricity to companies seeking to relocate to Mexico. The director of the Federal Electricity Commission declared in January that the state-owned power utility is “ready” to provide the power required to meet nearshoring-related demand Acuña also noted that the availability of workers and the quality of infrastructure in general are considerations for foreign companies looking at Mexico To take full advantage of the nearshoring opportunity Mexico needs to train more engineers and IT experts Acuña said that by taking full advantage of the nearshoring opportunity Mexico’s GDP could increase by as much as 45 basis points in coming years Official data published on Thursday showed that the economy grew 3.2% last year annual growth could exceed 7% in coming years Carlos Slim telling this week’s Mexico Nearshoring Summit that annual growth of 6% is possible during the next 10 to 15 years He said that the development of the CIIT will allow Mexico to send more goods to the east of the United States “where until now Mexico’s participation has been low.” “We have great export potential,” he said Acuña compared the importance of the nearshoring opportunity to the entry into force of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994 and the reforms enacted by the previous federal government among which was one that opened up Mexico’s energy sector to private and foreign companies Trade between Mexico and the United States has increased significantly since NAFTA took effect while numerous private and foreign companies have invested in Mexico’s energy sector over the past decade “Mexico and North America as a whole are on track to become the most competitive region in the planet.” “Upon analyzing the natural competitors of our country we find that we have advantages that range from [the availability of] labor and infrastructure to demographic and geographic aspects,” she added In 2023, Mexico became the world’s economy 12th largest economy, according to the International Monetary Fund, and was the world’s top exporter to the United States Foreign direct investment (FDI) increased last year to reach its highest level since 2013 (when the sale of Grupo Modelo significantly boosted the total) but none of Mexico’s water-rich but historically disadvantaged southern or southeastern states was among the top 10 recipients of such investment last year Will 2024 be the year when at least one of those states enters the top 10 for FDI as many other entities continue to contend with a scarcity of water MEXICO CITY (AP) — An attack on a bar in Mexico's Gulf coast city of Coatzacoalcos killed 25 people and injured about a dozen and they said it was apparently overseen by a man who had been recently arrested but released and set fire to the place," President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said at his daily morning news conference Veracruz state police said the Tuesday night attack targeted the "Bar Caballo Blanco," though the bar's name was in English on a sign outside: "The White Horse Nightclub." security and service," private rooms for $7.50 "all night," ''sexy girls" and a pole dance contest It is located just off a busy commercial street in Coatzacoalcos a city whose main industry has long been oil and oil refining "This is the most inhuman thing possible," López Obrador said "It is regrettable that organized crime acts in this manner," he said "It is more regrettable that there may be collusion with authorities." López Obrador said local prosecutors should be investigated because "the alleged perpetrators had been arrested Cuitláhuac García identified the chief suspect as a man known as "La Loca" and gave his name as Ricardo "N'' because officials no longer give the full names of suspects García said the man had been detained by marines in July but was released after being turned over to the state prosecutor's office criminal gangs are no longer tolerated," García wrote of the attack the armed forces and newly formed National Guard are searching for the attackers Photos of the scene showed tables and chairs jumbled around with the bodies of semi-nude women lying amid the debris Prosecutors initially said the fire killed eight women and 15 men and injured 13 people López Obrador said the death toll had risen to 25 but did not specify the gender of the victims or the number of injured There was no immediate information on their condition The attack came almost eight years to the day after a fire at a casino in the northern city of Monterrey killed 52 people The Zetas drug cartel staged that 2011 attack to enforce demands for protection payments Violence has been on the rise in Mexico, and 2019 appears set for another homicide record along with the killing of 19 people in the western city of Uruapan earlier this month is likely to renew fears that the rampant violence of the 2006-2012 drug war has returned CG Railway, LLC (CGR), a joint venture between Genesee & Wyoming Inc. and SEACOR Holdings Inc., today announced that its new, state-of-the-art rail ferry, the Cherokee, completed its maiden round-trip voyage with record results for transportation speed and railcar volumes completed its delivery voyage from China’s CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company The Cherokee departed the Port of Mobile hauling 122 railcars and arrived at the Port of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz The vessel began its return trip from Coatzacoalcos on September 18 with 130 railcars onboard and docked in Mobile three days later The Cherokee measures 590 feet in length and is designed to carry up to 135 railcars, a 17% capacity increase per sailing compared to CGR’s previous rail ferries “We are extremely pleased with the Cherokee’s performance during its maiden voyage,” said Todd Biscan “The rail ferry transported more than 22,500 tons of diverse commodities CGR is excited to enhance service quality to customers and safely move railcars from the U.S to Southern Mexico in three days with customs cleared en route.” is expected to enter into service in December and replace CGR’s existing vessel the Banda Sea will continue to operate alongside the Cherokee to provide steady service to customers “Offering greater capacity and more sailings per week between the Southeast U.S CGR service is better than ever,” said CGR President Hoffman Lijeron both the Cherokee and Mayan will generate lower CO2 emissions than land alternatives and our legacy ferries These collective benefits provide a long-term sustainable supply chain solution for existing and prospective customers.” Class III freight railroad that currently transports approximately 10,000 carloads of diversified commodities annually across the Gulf of Mexico with long-term agreements to operate purpose-built rail-ferry terminals in the ports of Mobile formed the rail-ferry joint venture that includes CG Railway combining the two companies’ experience in rail and marine transportation April 2025 Marine Log’s Top Women in Maritime Celebration 2025 43,000+ global companies doing business in the region 102,000+ key contacts related to companies and projects news and interviews about your industry in English The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission Environmental PollutionCitation Excerpt :Additionally earthworms in pesticide-contaminated soils significantly stimulate restoration of the soil ecosystem by enhancing the dissipation of pesticides and the growth of indigenous microorganisms in the soil (Delgado-Baquerizo et al. previous studies in this area have either focused solely on the role of indigenous soil microbial communities or earthworm gut microbial communities in pesticide degradation (Espinosa-Reyes et al. 2017); the interactions between earthworm gut bacteria and indigenous soil bacteria and how these interactions contribute to pollutant degradation in soil Using graph theory knowledge of network analysis it is possible to identify highly connected keystone taxa in microbial communities which are the key forces driving the structure and function of the soil microbial community (Banerjee et al. Science of the Total EnvironmentCitation Excerpt :DNA damage measured by the comet assay is a very valuable parameter as it provides overall information on the influence of a stressor on genetic material (Augustyniak et al. besides assessing the relationship between the type and intensity of a given stressor it is important to consider DNA damage in the context of exposure time (Espinosa-Reyes et al. Directly after contact with a stress factor an increase in DNA damage is usually observed Environmental ResearchCitation Excerpt :Many papers have reported contaminant genotoxic effects on earthworms not only evaluated in laboratory conditions but also from the extrapolation of effects at the level of wild populations The genotoxicity of POPs exposure in wild earthworms captured in industrial urban and rural areas was evaluated by Guillermo Espinosa-Reyes (Espinosa-Reyes et al. and those captured in the industrial area showed the greatest DNA damage (2009) reported that atrazine induces DNA damage in earthworms and the OTM increased in a time- and dose-dependent Ecological IndicatorsCitation Excerpt :Given that most ROS cannot be effectively eliminated the excess ROS can result in the lipid peroxidation DNA damage of coelomocyte and tissue damage thus eventually leading to earthworm death (Button et al. the above-mentioned biochemical responses of earthworms have been widely used to evaluate the ecotoxicity of pollutants on soil organisms including earthworms (Espinosa-Reyes et al. which is recommended by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD 1984) for risk assessment of environmental pollutants All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V., its licensors, and contributors. 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Mexico (Reuters) - At least 26 people were killed in an arson attack by suspected gang members on a bar in the southern Mexican port of Coatzacoalcos late on Tuesday in a fresh blow to the government's efforts to curb violence.Calling the attack "horrendous," President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said at a news briefing on Wednesday that the deaths occurred after the suspected gangsters closed the emergency exits of the bar in Coatzacoalcos and set fire to it.The attack was one of the worst mass killings since the veteran leftist Lopez Obrador took office in December pledging to pacify Mexico by battling corruption and inequality.So far the number of murders has continued to rise after hitting record levels in 2018.The attorney general's office of the state of Veracruz said in a statement that 10 women and 16 men died in the "Caballo Blanco" bar while another 11 people were being treated at nearby hospitals.Meanwhile Veracruz state Governor Cuitlahuac Garcia suggested in a post on Twitter that the attack was the result of a dispute between local gangs.On Wednesday a video circulated on social media showing the apparent decapitation of a blindfolded captive man who local media identified as the owner of the bar.In the video two unidentified executioners accuse him and a second captive man of selling unauthorized drugs in the bar before cutting off their heads with knives.Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the video parts of which were published in some Mexican media.Some Mexican media reports said that gunmen had fired shots on the bar before setting it ablaze with Molotov cocktails.Tuesday's attack follows one in April on another bar in Veracruz in the city of Minatitlan that killed 13 people.A major transit point for narcotics making their way north toward the U.S Veracruz has long been convulsed by violent turf wars between drug cartels.While saying he did not want to blame previous governments Lopez Obrador nevertheless pointed to past policies for laying the groundwork for the crime."This is the rotten fruit of the economic policy that was imposed the policy of pillage," the president said.Lopez Obrador said that initial investigations indicated some suspects behind the attack had been in custody this year and were later released the attorney general's office rejected that suggestion and said the events of Tuesday night should "not be used to distort facts or confuse public opinion."In August 2011 more than 50 people were killed in the northern city of Monterrey when gang members torched a casino.Reporting by Tamara Corro; Writing by Dave Graham; Additional reporting by Lizbeth Diaz Diego Ore and Stefanie Eschenbacher in Mexico City and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Heavens Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved A vicious attack on a bar Tuesday night in Veracruz killed 26 people and wounded 13 others Some of the wounded suffered burns to 90% of their bodies the attack occurred at around 10:00pm when between five and six armed civilians entered the Caballo Blanco bar in downtown Coatzacoalcos and began shooting The attackers then threw fuel inside the building followed by molotov cocktails before blocking the emergency exits many of whom were table dancers employed by the bar Veracruz Governor Cuitláhuac García said on Wednesday that the owner of the bar was kidnapped on Saturday and later decapitated according to evidence that surfaced in a video A criminal gang had wanted to sell drugs in the bar García also identified one of the people responsible for the attack as a man who had been arrested in July and later released “Evidence about the deplorable crime in the bar in Coatzacoalcos points to one of the people responsible for the attack as [a man] who was arrested in July but was released less than 48 hours later by the state Attorney General’s Office,” García wrote in a Tweet who was responsible for releasing the suspect was appointed by García’s predecessor Miguel Ángel Yunes and has been a target of attacks by the governor since he took office last year In his morning press conference on Wednesday President López Obrador echoed Governor García’s criticism of Attorney General Winckler and said he has asked the federal Attorney General’s Office to take over the investigation “There’s a problem that needs to be investigated about the actions of the Veracruz Attorney General’s Office,” he said “We’re asking the [federal] attorney general to take over this issue and carry out a thorough investigation.” the Zetas cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel have been fighting for control of Coatzacoalcos In April, 13 people died in a similar attack on a party at a bar in nearby Minatitlán Source: Reforma (sp), El Financiero (sp), e-veracruz (sp) One month after a massacre in a bar in Coatzacoalcos there have been no confirmed arrests in connection with the case The August 27 attack on the Caballo Blanco (White Horse) bar the single worst act of violence since President López Obrador took office last December is under investigation by the federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) But officials there have provided no information about the progress of the probe four armed men entered the bar in downtown Coatzacoalcos and began shooting The attackers then threw fuel inside the building followed by molotov cocktails before blocking the sole exit leaving patrons and employees trapped inside as a fire took hold Among the victims were 13 women who worked as table dancers Veracruz Governor Cuitláhuac García Jiménez said on September 9 that the FGR had identified the perpetrators of the crime and arrested an undisclosed number of them but added that it was not up to him to provide details “I’m going to be respectful of the investigation process The federal Attorney General’s Office will provide the information,” he said which would appear to indicate that there have been no arrests Federal authorities usually make a public announcement after the perpetrators of high profile crimes have been detained While the investigation is shrouded in secrecy the news website e-consulta reported that there are two main lines of inquiry: that the attack was part of a turf war between rival crime gangs or came after the owners of the bar refused to comply with extortion demands The Zetas cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) have been fighting for control of Coatzacoalcos since the beginning of the year. A similar attack on a bar in nearby Minatitlán in April that left 13 people dead is believed to have been linked to the dispute between the two groups Governor García claimed the day after last month’s attack that one of those responsible was Ricardo “La Loca” N. who is presumed to be a low-level hitman for the CJNG The governor – and President López Obrador – also claimed that the suspect had previously been arrested and released by the Veracruz Attorney General’s Office while headed by Jorge Winckler Winckler, who has been accused of collusion with organized crime claiming that the Veracruz delegation of the FGR who was a suspect in several arson attacks While the FGR has kept quiet about its investigation into the massacre that left at least 20 orphans the National Human Rights Commission has been vocal about the case demanding that authorities conduct an “effective and exhaustive” probe to locate and arrest those responsible and hold them to account The commission also urged the Veracruz government to provide protection to 12 family members of victims as well as two survivors who say they have received death threats in the aftermath of the August 27 atrocity Source: e-consulta (sp)  A suspected member of the Zetas cartel who operated in Veracruz was arrested yesterday in the port city of Coatzacoalcos Navy marines were alerted when the saw the suspect driving above the speed limit “in a suspicious manner.” When the driver became aware of the presence of security forces leading to a chase that ended a few blocks away The marines found about 42 doses of a substance that looked like methamphetamine A check on the driver indicated he was probably a member of the Zetas cartel operating in the municipalities of Las Choapas and Agua Dulce The organization has been linked to several criminal activities in the region Source: Milenio (sp) President López Obrador on Monday denied that his government expropriated a section of railroad in Veracruz asserting that it “recovered” a concession granted to a subsidiary of Grupo México a mining and infrastructure conglomerate owned by billionaire businessman Germán Larrea The president published a decree on Friday that ordered the “immediate temporary occupation” of three sections of railroad operated by Ferrosur between Medias Aguas and Coatzacoalcos The decree declared the combined 120 kilometers of tracks to be of “public utility” and relevant to national security, and ordered their temporary occupation in favor of Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec, a military-run state-owned company working on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec trade corridor project which includes the modernization of a railroad between the port cities of Salina Cruz The operation of the tracks by the state-owned company is required “to satisfy the needs of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec Interoceanic Corridor,” the decree said adding that they are “ideal for a direct and dynamic railroad operation.” said that armed navy personnel occupied Ferrosur facilities along the 91-kilometer Medias Aguas-Coatzacolacos section from 6 a.m “The surprising and unusual takeover … by the armed forces is being analyzed by Group México Transportes its investors and advisors,” the firm said Speaking at his morning press conference on Monday López Obrador stressed that Grupo México doesn’t own the railroad tracks but rather has a concession to operate them Private property can be legally expropriated but “recovering a concession of the nation” is “very different,” he said even though his decree cited an expropriation law Asked whether the takeover would be permanent López Obrador responded that it would “depend on the attitude of the company.” He said he had no “personal problem” or “dispute” with Larrea — with whom the president reportedly met twice last week — and asserted that there was no problem with Grupo México’s planned purchase of Citibanamex Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Mexican bank Banco Base, said Friday that the railroad takeover could put the bank sale — which had appeared to be a done deal —  “at risk.” López Obrador’s decree said that “market-value compensation” would be paid for the temporary occupation but the president said that Grupo México wanted 9.5 billion pesos (about US $530.5 million) That amount is not a “fair price” but rather “abuse,” he said López Obrador said that an evaluation would be carried out to determine a compensation payout “if they are entitled to one.” Grupo México shares closed 4.25% lower on Friday following the government’s takeover of part of the railroad operated by its subsidiary Ferrosur “It’s not exactly inviting for the government to seize a railroad,” said Roger Horn a senior strategist at SMBC Nikko Securities America in New York “This is bizarre even for this administration where AMLO has for the most part negotiated with the private sector to achieve his policy goals,” added Horn “This sets a negative precedent for investments in Mexico specifically in regulated sectors,” said Rodolfo Ramos GMXT said Sunday that it remains in negotiations with the government about the concession for the Medias Aguas-Coatzacoalcos section of the Ferrosur railroad It also said that it signed an agreement with the ministries of the Interior and Communications and Transportation in early 2022 that “contemplated the construction of a second [rail] route with operational independence that would be handed over to the Ministry of the Navy for the use of Ferrocarril del Istmo de Tehuantepec,” the state-owned company GMXT said that it began construction of the second route spending “hundreds of millions of pesos” on the project “The total cost of the project would have been settled through … royalties the company pays on a yearly basis the agreement was discarded by the government months later,” the company said GMXT said it was seeking a new agreement with the government but noted that the negotiations “face difficult circumstances” given that an “occupation decree” was published and acted upon The company said it would continue to provide “quality service” for its clients while the government allows it to operate its trains and maintain tracks on the Ferrosur network The federal government has collaborated with big business, including on an anti-inflation plan but some of its laws and policies have angered the private sector especially companies that operate in Mexico’s energy sector In 2022, the United States and Canada both launched challenges under the North American free trade pact against Mexican policies that favor the state-owned Federal Electricity Commission and state oil company Pemex over firms from those countries More recently, the United States construction materials company Vulcan Materials denounced the “illegal” takeover and occupation of its Quintana Roo marine terminal by federal and state security forces United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the takeover — which occurred in March and allowed the Mexican company Cemex to use the facility — could have a “chilling effect” on future U.S. investment in Mexico Cemex and Vulcan reached a temporary agreement in late March that allowed the former to use the latter’s marine terminal in Quintana Roo Vulcan and the Mexican government still have unresolved issues related to environmental damage the Alabama-based company allegedly caused along the Quintana Roo coast News & Reviews News Wire CG Railway’s new ferry completes first round trip from Port of Mobile to Mexican port The 590-foot 'Cherokee' departed the Port of Mobile on Sept which plies the Gulf of Mexico between Mobile set a speed and volume record on its maiden 1,912-mile round trip this month The 590-foot Cherokee departed the Port of Mobile on Sept It arrived at the Port of Coatzacoalcos three days later 15 with 130 freight cars on board and arrived at Mobile on Sept “We are extremely pleased with the Cherokee’s performance during its maiden voyage,” Todd Biscan In 2017 it became a joint venture of short line holding company Genesee & Wyoming and SEACOR Holdings The Cherokee is the first of two new double-deck ferries that will replace CG Railway’s two existing vessels It’s expected to enter service in December The new vessels cut sailing time to three days from five and can carry 135 railcars The new vessels increase CG Railway’ capacity by 40% thanks to their additional capacity and faster sailing times The railway handles 10,000 carloads per year and connects with Ferromex in Coatzacoalcos and seven railroads in Mobile: BNSF Railway and the Alabama State Port Authority’s Terminal Railway The new ferries also provide a 44% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions per ton-mile compared to an all-rail route CGR could easily double that increase to over 80% CN might have to buy this to maintain their claim as North America’s Railroad I had not heard of these before now and would not have guest at the size of them as well I would only assume that CN will double down on this service as an alternate Mexico/NAFTO option now that CP will merge with KCS The two countries will collaborate “at all levels” on shipping between the two strategically placed ports in Coatzacoalcos and Sines Mexico and Portugal will collaborate on an international maritime corridor between the countries after signing an agreement targeting the strengthening of energy security and supply chains.  The corridor between the ports of Coatzacoalcos in the Gulf of Mexico and Sines in Portugal was described as a “major gateway” for various forms of transport including containerized cargo A memorandum of understanding establishing the corridor was signed by the Mexico’s Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Jennifer Feller and the Portugal’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Francisco Gonçalo Nunes André was also overseen by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the Portuguese Navy Secretary José Rafael Ojeda Durán The establishment of the corridor means that the two strategically placed countries will increase cooperation “at all levels” including the promotion of a joint economic agenda and the diversification of energy supply sources.  While shipping and trade corridors are not new to the maritime industry they have become a key part of the sector’s efforts to strengthen global supply chains and work on decarbonisation initiatives.  Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Nominations are now open for the prestigious Ship Technology Excellence Awards - one of the industry's most recognised programmes celebrating innovation This is your chance to showcase your achievements Don't miss the opportunity to be honoured among the best - submit your nomination today Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Police cordon off the White Horse nightclub (El Caballo Blanco in Spanish) the scene of a Tuesday night attack that killed more than two dozen staff and patrons as they wait for federal investigators to arrive Anger is mounting among relatives of 28 people who died horrendously when gang members set the White Horse nightclub on fire after blocking its exits The families complained that criminals are out of control and making life impossible in this southern Mexico oil town.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) An investigator walks out of the White Horse nightclub (El Caballo Blanco in Spanish) Clowns who were friends from the neighborhood gather with other mourners for the wake of Erick Hernandez Enriquez a popular local DJ who went by the name DJ Bengala two days after he was killed in an attack on the White Horse nightclub where he was working Anger is mounting among relatives of 28 people who died horrendously when gang members set the White Horse nightclub on fire after blocking its exits.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) A police officer walks in front of the White Horse nightclub (El Caballo Blanco in Spanish) State police conduct an operation in a cordoned-off section of the Teresa Morales de Delgado neighborhood of Coatzacoalcos Gang members burst into a nightclub late Tuesday blocked all the exits and then started a fire that killed more than two dozen people Mexican officials said Wednesday.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Forensic investigators work outside the White Horse nightclub (El Caballo Blanco in Spanish) Investigators work outside the White Horse nightclub Anger is mounting among relatives of 28 people who died horrendously when gang members set the nightclub on fire after blocking its exits The families complained that criminals are out of control and making life impossible in this southern Mexico oil town places a rose on a photograph atop the coffin of her late husband Erick Hernandez Enriquez gets a hug from a well-wisher during the wake for her late husband Erick Hernandez Enriquez Mexico (AP) — Anger remained high Thursday as relatives began the slow tearful task of mourning and burying the 28 people who died horrendously when gang members set a bar on fire after blocking its exits At least seven of the victims were buried Thursday waving goodbye to her mother after her coffin was placed into the ground leaned over the brown metal coffin of her common-law husband who had dreamed of becoming a famous deejay He was working at the club to support his three children President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the Coatzacoalcos attack “degrades us as a society as a nation,” adding that crime and violence is the problem that worries him most has been one of many hot spots for that violence Thousands have been kidnapped and disappeared in the state and in April gunmen broke into a family party and opened fire killing 13 people and wounding at least four others Businessmen say gangs in Coatzacoalcos demand protection money from business owners and at least two other bars were burned down in Coatzacoalcos in July to enforce such demands Authorities are searching for the men who burst into the White Horse nightclub late Tuesday taking over the entrance at gunpoint and dousing it with gasoline and setting the bar afire The attack was apparently carried out by the Jalisco drug cartel in retaliation for the bar owner’s refusal to pay extortion demands But the state governor has acknowledged that authorities had several of the suspects in custody earlier on other crimes - but allowed them to be released Relatives of those killed at the White Horse bar said they have lost trust in authorities but we do want more firm action,” Miguel Angel Ortiz said Wednesday as he waited for official confirmation that his mother “The justice system is upside down in Mexico,” Ortiz said “Those who carry illegal weapons go free.” a 23-year-old grocery store worker and father of two said she doesn’t want his death “to go unpunished as have so many other crimes,” referring to the April killings “They should turn these suspects over to the people” so justice can be done “because they (authorities) are just going to set them free.” López Obrador has said “violence cannot be fought with more violence,” and has praised soldiers who have held fire even as they were disarmed by mobs He says his programs of scholarships and apprenticeships will eventually attack the root causes of crime He has spoken of addressing Mexico’s crime problems with “hugs not bullets,” and has insisted that Mexicans are “happy Officials of his administration have even begun talks with vigilante groups though Lopez Obrador says he disapproved of those talks But patience in Coatzacoalcos was thin among the families preparing for funeral services for those who died of burns and smoke inhalation at the bar who has led a group of relatives of the disappeared in Coatzacoalcos said drug cartels “are feeling very empowered.” but this is not what you would call being happy,” she said motioning toward the grieving families of the nightclub victims Anti-crime activist and businessman Raul Ojeda said the attack had all the hallmarks of an unmet demand for extortion payments He said the Zetas and the Jalisco New Generation cartels and local gangs are currently fighting over control of the city “They have been threatening all the businesses like that,” Ojeda said “The ones that don’t pay close down or pay the consequences López Obrador said local prosecutors should be investigated because “the alleged perpetrators had been arrested Cuitláhuac García identified the chief suspect as a man known as “La Loca” and gave his name as Ricardo “N’’ because officials no longer give the full names of suspects but was released after being turned over to the state prosecutor’s office The state prosecutor’s office disputed that version saying it had turned the man over to federal officials Mexico - The death toll from a petrochemical plant explosion in southeastern Mexico has risen to 24 state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos reported late Thursday Pemex raised the toll from the 13 fatalities previously known and also said 19 people remained hospitalized desperate relatives gathered outside the plant in the industrial port city of Coatzacoalcos hoping for news about loved ones still unaccounted for officials said 18 workers had been reported missing About 30 families massed at a plant entrance road where a sharp chemical smell still hung in the air about a mile from where the explosion occurred Wednesday afternoon Many wore facemasks to ward off the pungent odor Shoving broke out as people unsuccessfully tried to force their way into the installation Some shouted at marines and soldiers who were called in to guard the facility and they threw rocks at a white government SUV when it arrived at the scene Rosa Villalobos traveled about four hours by bus from the city of Veracruz to scour Coatzacoalcos hospitals looking for her son When she couldn’t find him she showed up at the plant entrance “What I want is for justice to be done in my son’s case for there to be no impunity,” Villalobos said Some volunteers brought food and drink to the families After a while authorities began taking people inside in small groups to see a list of those confirmed dead Some left crying after seeing their loved ones’ names Pemex said Thursday night that it was prioritizing the safety of those inspecting the plant and they were still gradually gaining access to more parts of the site The blast in this industrial port city forced evacuations of nearby areas as it sent a toxin-filled cloud billowing into the air and injuring more than 100 workers told Radio Formula that the explosion was caused by a leak of as-yet unknown origin Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto also toured the facility Thursday who accompanied the Villalobos family in search of Luis Alfonso vowed that the families would demand a full account of what happened we will not allow any more cover-ups like have happened with previous accidents,” Mariche said “They have covered up the numbers (in the past); there have been people who disappeared and regrettably never appeared … We will go to the last consequences to make sure this doesn’t keep happening.” operated the Clorados 3 plant of Petroquimica Mexicana de Vinilo which produces the hazardous industrial chemical vinyl chloride a fire killed a worker at the same facility News & Reviews News Wire Grupo Mexico Transportes takes stake in G&W’s CG Railway ferry service — Genesee & Wyoming has a new partner in its CG Railway joint venture which ferries freight cars across the Gulf of Mexico between Mobile Grupo Mexico Transportes will purchase SEACOR Holdings’ 60% stake in CGR pending regulatory approval G&W initially formed a joint venture with SEACOR in 2017 to own and operate CGR which has provided rail-ferry service between the ports of Mobile and Coatzacoalcos since 2001 SEACOR’s Seabulk subsidiary will continue to operate the vessels “This further strengthens our partnership with GMXT a leader in rail transportation services in Mexico with a strong presence in the southern U.S. including 13 ports between the two countries,” Michael Miller coupled with G&W’s ability to deliver safe and customer-centric first- and last-mile rail service will enhance CGR’s overall service offering while extending the reach of CGR’s efficient and secure rail service into and out of Mexico.” G&W and SEACOR spent $100 million to build two new 590-foot rail ferries billed as the world’s largest rail ferries halved the transit time across the gulf to three days The Cherokee entered service in September 2021 while the Mayan made its maiden voyage in March 2022 The ferry service handles more than 10,000 carloads a year including shipments of chemicals and plastics CG Railway and GMXT may offer a superior railcar transit offering v CPKC to points south and east of Mexico City via Ferrosur But CG Railway is somewhat capacity constrained as each of its two 135 car ferries make a round trip once per week so CG can handle 270 cars each way per week CPKC can handle way more cars into / out of central Mexico Would appreciate knowledge base of where CG would most likely interchanges with C1’s it there a capability to handle intermodal in this service This project has taken a long time to finally reach fruition but any way you look at it this is not good news for CPKC Mobile is a great port to use for the service far better than New Orleans Mobile gives you great access to Atlanta and a whole bunch of auto plants across the south Miami would probably just be loads in and empty cars out Florida consumes but doesn’t produce much So when does service to Port of Miami start The body of a businesswoman who was kidnapped and killed because her husband “didn’t want to pay” a ransom was found in Veracruz this week The decapitated corpse of Susana Carrera was found Wednesday night inside a bag left in a vacant lot in the port city of Coatzacoalcos A sign was left with the body that read: “This happened to me because my husband played the tough guy and didn’t want to pay my ransom.” co-owner with her husband of an aluminum company was abducted last week in the Playa Sol neighborhood of Coatzacoalcos after which her captors reportedly asked for a ransom of 4 million pesos (US $207,000) The kidnapping occurred outside a house that Carrera’s daughter was visiting The newspaper Excélsior reported that Carrera arrived at the home to pick up her daughter rang the doorbell and had been waiting outside for 15 seconds when a man got out of a car and abducted her The incident was captured by a security camera The woman’s family was unable to raise the funds to pay the ransom Carrera’s husband Luis Manríquez confirmed the death in a message on social media “Thank you very much to everyone for your prayers and wishes for my wife Susana Carrera to return home she wasn’t able to and she passed away,” he wrote A march to condemn the killing was scheduled to take place in Coatzacoalcos today There were 49 kidnappings and 160 homicides in the municipality last year according to the Coatzacoalcos Citizens’ Observatory Residents have accused Mayor Víctor Manuel Carranza of doing little to combat crime in the city located on the northern coast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec Federal authorities will deploy 600 marines to five municipalities in the south of Veracruz next week after Governor Cuitláhuac García Jiménez asked President López Obrador for support to combat insecurity The discovery of Carrera’s body came just days after the corpse of a 30-year-old woman was found in Tlacotalpan a municipality 100 kilometers south of the port city of Veracruz Janet Rodríguez Márquez was kidnapped on January 22 in her native Amatitlán and two days later her captors requested a large ransom Family members paid 500,000 pesos (US $26,000) on January 27 leaving the money at an undisclosed location Mexico (Reuters) - Mexican state oil giant Pemex said on Friday that the death toll from a petrochemical plant blast in the southeastern oil hub of Coatzacoalcos had risen to 28 in the latest fatal accident to befall the beleaguered company.In a statement Pemex said it had identified 25 bodies and that three more were still unidentified It added that 18 people remained hospitalized Pemex has said the accident was caused by a leak but has not fully explained what happened.The oil firm said it would continue to scour the blast site given the scale of the damage.The massive explosion took place on Wednesday afternoon at the facility's chlorinate 3 plant in the Gulf state of Veracruz sending a black cloud of smoke hundreds of meters into the air and giving off a powerful smell of ammonia.The blast occurred at a vinyl petrochemical plant that is a joint venture between Pemex's petrochemical unit and majority owner Mexican plastic pipe maker Mexichem known as Pajaritos.The plant produces some 900 tons a day of vinyl chloride monomer an industrial chemical used to produce plastic piping The joint venture had forecast sales of $260 million this year.Earlier on Friday Mexichem Chief Executive Officer Antonio Carrillo told Reuters that the company had declared force majeure on one internal contract in the wake of the blast.He said Mexichem would have a better idea of the impact of the blast on the company in the coming weeks.In February the latest in a litany of safety disasters that have plagued Pemex.In 2013 at least 37 people were killed by a blast at its Mexico City headquarters and 26 people died in a fire at a Pemex natural gas facility in northern Mexico in September 2012.A 2015 fire at its Abkatun Permanente platform in the oil-rich Bay of Campeche affected oil output and cost the company up to $780 million.Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter and Lizbeth Diaz; Editing by Tom Hogue Mexico (Reuters) - Twenty-four people died after a leak caused a deadly petrochemical plant blast the latest in a series of fatal accidents to batter the company.Pemex CEO Jose Antonio Gonzalez Anaya who traveled to the site of Wednesday's blast near the port of Coatzacoalcos told local television it was unclear what caused the accident.The massive explosion at the facility's chlorinate 3 plant in the Gulf state of Veracruz also injured 136 people and one badly damaged part of the plant had yet to be scoured."We know there was a leak but everything points to an accident," Gonzalez Anaya said.He shared an updated death toll at a press conference late on Thursday adding that remediation of the site could take up to a year He denied the blast was tied to the economic problems of Pemex which is trying to stem sliding output and slash costs as it creaks under the pressure of low crude prices.The sharp odor of ammonia filled the air and the plants' turbines still streamed gray smoke on Thursday afternoon blocked the entrance to the facility.Most officials wore blue face masks to protect against the fumes Others held hands and prayed for the missing and dead."We are desperate because no-one is coming out to show their face," said Ancelma Cordero whose 21-year-old brother is one of the missing and has not responded to his cellphone.She said she had been waiting since the prior night and her head was starting to hurt."They told us we were breathing toxins and we should leave," she said of authorities they could make the bodies disappear."Calling it a "tragic accident" President Enrique Pena Nieto headed to the region late Thursday to tour the facility with local officials and speak with victims and their families.The blast occurred at a vinyl petrochemical plant that is a joint venture between Pemex's petrochemical unit and majority owner Mexican plastic pipe maker Mexichem The joint venture had forecast sales of $260 million (£181.24 million) this year.Shares in Mexichem closed 5.2 percent lower on Thursday."This is neither the time for excuses nor finding those to blame," Juan Pablo del Valle "It is the time to tend to the injured be accountable and support all those affected."In February the latest in a litany of safety disasters that have plagued the state oil giant.In 2013 and 26 people died in a fire at a Pemex natural gas facility in northern Mexico in September 2012.A 2015 fire at its Abkatun Permanente platform in the oil-rich Bay of Campeche affected oil output and cost the company up to $780 million.Reporting by Tomas Bravo Gabriel Stargardter and Joanna Zuckerman Bernstein writing by Alexandra Alper and Anna Yukhananov; Editing by Simon Gardner Mexico (AP) — Mexico’s drug war appears to be back — and it may be worse this time around than in the bloody years of the government’s 2006-2012 offensive against drug cartels the worst of the violence was confined to a few cities Now it is spread out throughout the country Once it was not uncommon for gangs to kill adults but leave children unharmed the killing of children alongside their parents has become all too frequent Perhaps the most disconcerting change: Bloody cartel violence outraged Mexicans and captured international attention for the drug war which saw 27,000 homicides during its peak in 2011 even though the number of Mexico’s homicides soared to near 35,000 last year the bloodshed seems to draw less attention and indignation It has all left many Mexicans wondering which way to turn That was evident this week in Coatzacoalcos, an oil industry city in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz where residents say gangs have been fighting over turf and extorting business owners with threats of violence. Late Tuesday, suspected members of the Jalisco cartel showed up at the Caballo Blanco nightclub, blocked its exits and set a fire that killed 28 people trapped inside apparently because the owner had either refused to make extortion payments or sold drugs from another gang Vanessa Galindo Blas lost her common-law husband “We had talked about leaving here for somewhere safer so our kids could have a better future,” Galindo Blas said Thursday as she stretched her hands out over Erick’s bare metal coffin On it rested a photo of him wearing an “I Love Coatzacoalcos” T-shirt But they could never agree on a place to move in part because violence is now a problem across much of Mexico much of the drug war killing occurred in a string of northern Mexico cities — Ciudad Juarez and that also makes it harder to control,” said Alejandro Hope But counting down all the similarities — deadly arson attacks bodies left piled in heaps or hung from overpasses beheading videos posted on social media — the parallels between now and then are all too clear “It’s like deja vu all over again,” said Hope Another disturbing trend is that young children are being gunned down by killers targeting adults The Sinaloa and Juarez cartels once prided themselves on their targeted killings which riddled intended targets with bullets while leaving family members untouched children are being killed with chilling frequency a young boy was killed along with his father in Sonora state a 10-year-old was killed during a robbery in Puebla state gunmen burst into a home in Ciudad Juarez and fired 123 bullets that killed three girls along with an adult male who apparently was the real target Coatzacoalcos made headlines across Mexico when a man his wife and three young children were gunned down by a drug cartel the shooting of the three Ciudad Juarez girls drew less attention “It seems like we are becoming accustomed to this I don’t want to become accustomed to that,” said Lenit Enriquez Orozco has been missing since he was abducted on Sept the Mothers’ Collective of Searchers has hunted for traces in clandestine burial grounds across Veracruz Hope notes Mexico has a lamentable record in investigating and prosecuting killings — over 90 percent of crime go unpunished wiping out an entire family “has its advantages The relentless violence has numbed many people gunmen burst into a party of high school students in Ciudad Juarez’s Villas de Salvarcar neighborhood killing 15 in what appeared to have been a case of mistaken identity angry street protests and a visit by an apologetic President Felipe Calderón a few dozen people held a subdued peace march This should generate generalized indignation” against cartels and government leaders alike He attributes the muted response to new President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s high approval ratings topping 70% in some polls nine months into his term Such ratings “tend to intimidate expressions of indignation,” Hope said Many Mexicans also are willing to give López Obrador the benefit of the doubt as even the president acknowledges that violent crime is the most serious challenge he faces López Obrador has avoided violent confrontations with gangs that were often blamed for spawning violence during Calderón’s 2006-2012 administration López Obrador has even personally congratulated troops who allowed themselves to be abducted and disarmed by vigilante groups that are often linked to cartels He insists his go-slow policies of reducing youth unemployment will eventually solve the root causes of the problem better than declaring another frontal offensive against drug cartels Carlos Ángel Ortiz is one of those who doesn’t fault López Obrador ‘Only the people can save the people,” Ortiz said as he made plans to bury his niece a dancer at the nightclub who died of smoke inhalation leaving behind a son and a daughter ages 7 and 3 The poor provide López Obrador’s base and it is that group who suffers the most from crime Irineo Gomez was the sole support of not only her children Erick Hernández Enriquez left little behind for his family aside from a modest “There are a lot of empty houses in Coatzacoalcos a lot of people have left,” said Maria Fabiola Davila “Those who can afford it move to another country.” © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins Braskem Idesa has now received its first shipment of ethane which will be used as feedstock for production of polyethylene at the Nanchital complex Requiring an overall investment of about $4 million the project to bring US ethane feedstock to the Nanchital manufacturing site will enable Braskem Idesa to import up to 12,800 b/d of ethane which represents 19% of the complex’s ethane needs Braskem identified neither the volume of the first ethane shipment received at the complex nor a specific producer from which it purchased the feedstock In its third-quarter 2019 earnings report to investors released in November 2019 Braskem said the Braskem Idesa JV was investing $2.4 million in logistics infrastructure to enable US ethane imports to the Nanchital complex to expand capacity utilization of the site’s 1.05 million-tonnes/year ethane cracker To ensure feasibility of fast-tracking the first phase of the ethane-imports project Braskem Idesa executed agreements with logistics operator Smart Pass and Énestas SA de CV which specializes in cryogenic gas transportation Smart Pass was to be responsible for receiving liquid ethane at the docks of the Port of Coatzacoalcos and for unloading it from vessels into cryogenic tanks from where Énestas would transport ethane by trucks about 10-12 km Braskem Idesa’s complex to be stored in existing tanks and regasified for use in the production process Ethane imports to the complex during this first phase could reach up to 25,400-b/d At the time of the November earnings release Braskem said that Braskem Idesa was in advanced negotiations with an unidentified seller to possibly sign a long-term agreement for the US ethane supplies; otherwise the operator would secure ethane from the spot market Braskem also told investors Braskem Idesa is evaluating a second-phase higher-capacity leg of its project to increase imports of US ethane The scope of the second-phase development would include construction of an 30,000-50,000-b/d liquid ethane import terminal and associated pipeline to deliver supplies directly to the Nanchital petrochemical complex While it disclosed no further details regarding the proposed second phase Braskem did say construction on the planned terminal and pipeline—presumably if approved—would begin early in 2020 for targeted startup no later than yearend 2021 Alongside development of the second-phase imports project that Braskem Idesa also plans to expand ethylene capacity of the Nanchital petrochemical complex between 10-20% during 2021 Further details regarding the proposed capacity expansion the Nanchital complex had achieved a total production of 3 million tonnes of polyethylene since starting operations three and a half years earlier Robert Brelsford joined Oil & Gas Journal in October 2013 as downstream technology editor after 8 years as a crude oil price and news reporter on spot crude transactions at the US Gulf Coast He holds a BA (2000) in English from Rice University and an MS (2003) in education and social policy from Northwestern University An oil spill in southern Veracruz that forced the evacuation of 300 people is estimated to have killed thousands of birds leaving a fishing community wondering how they will live Residents of Nanchital blame Pemex and Pemex blames vandals for causing a pipeline spill that has affected a seven-kilometer stretch of the Tepeyac creek and now threatens the Coatzacoalcos river The mayor of Nanchital estimates it will take months to clean up the effects of the spill and fears community wells will become polluted Zoila Balderas Guzmán said the municipality will take legal action against whoever is responsible but also criticized the state oil company for what she called “indifference” and neglecting to notify local authorities when the spill took place The incident was first noted on September 28 but it wasn’t until Thursday that the evacuation of residents began They were moved to shelters after the odor of petroleum became unbearable It was also on Thursday that dead animals began appearing Oceanographer Homero Bennet said the spilled substance was strong enough to cause the rapid decomposition of affected animals No one has said what precisely the substance is and Pemex has only said vandals caused the pipeline spill and that personnel were working to contain it at the source Bennet also urged that municipal authorities file a complaint against Pemex with the environmental protection agency and suspend all fishing immediately A Civil Protection spokesman said it was urgent that Pemex initiate clean-up efforts on the Tepeyac creek and begin bioremediation Fishermen claim it’s not the first time they have seen an oil spill in the area They say Pemex has blamed vandals in the past but locals believe the spills are caused by poor maintenance a researcher at the University of Veracruz charges that there are 673 other cases of petroleum pollution in the state that have been catalogued by the federal Environment Secretariat (Semarnat) some people are blaming oil pollution for the deaths of up to 50 manatees along with snakes crocodiles and fish that have perished in the Bitzales region of Macuspana Residents living nearby have reported suffering skin damage A Semarnat representative said the situation in Tabasco as “a problem [affecting] the social and economic structures of the region,” and has been described as one of the worst ecological crises in the state Source: e-veracruz (sp), Sin Embargo (sp), Milenio (sp) Mexico – Mexico’s drug war appears to be back – and it may be worse this time around than in the bloody years of the government’s 2006-2012 offensive against drug cartels even though the number of Mexico’s homicides soared to near 35,000 last year That was evident this week in Coatzacoalcos an oil industry city in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz where residents say gangs have been fighting over turf and extorting business owners with threats of violence suspected members of the Jalisco cartel showed up at the Caballo Blanco nightclub blocked its exits and set a fire that killed 28 people trapped inside possibly because the owner had refused to stop selling drugs from another gang “We had talked about leaving here for somewhere safer so our kids could have a better future,” Galindo Blas said Thursday as she stretched her hands out over Erick’s bare metal coffin On it rested a photo of him wearing an “I Love Coatzacoalcos” T-shirt much of the drug war killing occurred in a string of northern Mexico cities – Ciudad Juarez and that also makes it harder to control,” said Alejandro Hope But counting down all the similarities – deadly arson attacks beheading videos posted on social media – the parallels between now and then are all too clear “It’s like deja vu all over again,” said Hope “It seems like we are becoming accustomed to this I don’t want to become accustomed to that,” said Lenit Enriquez Orozco the Mothers’ Collective of Searchers Hope notes Mexico has a lamentable record in investigating and prosecuting killings – over 90 percent of crime go unpunished wiping out an entire family “has its advantages gunmen burst into a party of high school students in Ciudad Juarez’s Villas de Salvarcar neighborhood angry street protests and a visit by an apologetic President Felipe Calderón This should generate generalized indignation” against cartels and government leaders alike He attributes the muted response to new President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s high approval ratings Such ratings “tend to intimidate expressions of indignation,” Hope said Many Mexicans also are willing to give López Obrador the benefit of the doubt as even the president acknowledges that violent crime is the most serious challenge he faces López Obrador has avoided violent confrontations with gangs that were often blamed for spawning violence during Calderón’s 2006-2012 administration López Obrador has even personally congratulated troops who allowed themselves to be abducted and disarmed by vigilante groups that are often linked to cartels Carlos Ángel Ortiz is one of those who doesn’t fault López Obrador ‘Only the people can save the people,” Ortiz said as he made plans to bury his niece The poor provide López Obrador’s base Erick Hernández Enriquez left little behind for his family aside from a modest “There are a lot of empty houses in Coatzacoalcos a lot of people have left,” said Maria Fabiola Davila “Those who can afford it move to another country.” The complex’s first high-density PE (HDPE) plant produced its initial batch of HDPE on Apr Startup of the HDPE unit comes as part of the gradual commissioning process for the complex, which began in 2015 (OGJ Online, June 11, 2015) Braskem Idesa entered the complex’s utility plants (electricity with startup of the 1.05 million-tonne/year ethylene cracker initiated in March 2016 Braskem said it expects to commission the remaining two PE plants—including another HDPE unit as well as a low-density PE (LDPE) unit—before the end of April and achieve the complex’s overall PE production capacity of 1.05 million tpy within the coming months the complex includes the following installations: • Two HDPE plants with capacities of 400,000 tpy and 350,000 tpy • A 300,000-tpy LDPE plant (OGJ Online, Mar. 31, 2011) including a 150-Mw combined-cycle power and steam cogeneration plant • A logistics platform for shipment of 1 million tpy of polyethylene via rail • Administrative, maintenance, control room, and other buildings (OGJ Online, Oct. 5, 2012) Braskem, a subsidiary of Odebrecht SA said Etileno XXI aligns with the company’s strategy to expand operations in the Americas as well as increase its access to more competitively priced North American gas-based feedstock supplies Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected] The death toll from a Mexican petrochemical plant explosion has risen to 24 and more causalities are feared as rescue and clean-up efforts continue following the April 20 incident in the port community of Coatzacoalcos Eight people remain missing and 13 workers were in critical condition after a leak at the Pajaritos complex’s chlorinate 3 plant operated by Petroleos Mexicanos and Mexichem SAB caused a blast that sent a massive plume of smoke and noxious gases into the air of the town on the Gulf of Mexico Pemex’s Chief Executive Officer Jose Antonio Gonzalez Anaya who traveled to Coatzacoalcos following the accident said in a press conference late Thursday that the state-owned oil company will carry out a thorough investigation with authorities to determine the cause of the explosion “There is only one priority and that is to give attention to the families,” Juan Pablo del Valle said in an interview last night in Coatzacoalcos “We will have a deep and thorough investigation and as soon as we have that we will be very open in explaining to everyone what happened.” which owns 54 percent of the joint venture with Pemex will probably discuss the extent of the losses from the accident during the company’s first quarter earnings call on April 28 gathered outside of the plant Thursday to be allowed inside to identify the bodies of family members and friends waited at the public hospital in Coatzacoalcos “He wasn’t even meant to be working that shift,” Sanchez said “He was covering for his colleagues because no one else could do the technical work a Pemex worker at the plant who was evacuated camped outside in front of the emergency ward of the IMSS hospital in Coatzacoalcos shortly after the blast alongside droves of other victims’ family members “It could have been avoided,” he said angrily