A fatal railway accident in the Mexican state of Oaxaca has resulted in the deaths of at least 13 people, an incident expected to reignite opposition criticisms regarding the rapidity and management of the country's flagship infrastructure initiatives.
The crash happened on the Interoceanic Corridor train, a rail link constructed to link the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean across the thinnest stretch of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. This project was created to establish an alternative rail cargo route to the Panama Canal, with the goal of spurring commercial progress in the area.
“We will meticulously determine the cause of this tragedy,” declared the country's president.
The official reported that, of the approximately 250 individuals on board, another 98 were wounded, with five of those in serious condition. The official added plans to visit Oaxaca to speak with those involved.
Key Undertaking of Former Government
The Interoceanic Train was a cornerstone infrastructure project of the previous administration, whose time in office ended the prior year. This project was a hallmark of his government's strategic goals for the southeastern region.
Another multi-billion dollar rail project from that time, a tourist and cargo loop around the Yucatán Peninsula, was also integral to the wider plan to stimulate the economic fortunes of a historically poorer part of the country.
Project Execution and Worries
The building of both rail lines was supervised by the army, marking a dramatic growth of its duties in public works. They were built at an accelerated speed, beating expectations to be at least partly inaugurated before the end of that presidency.
However, this accelerated timeline had concurrently fueled significant apprehensions over construction quality.
- Sunday's accident was the third occurrence on the Interoceanic Train this year.
- This includes an earlier accident this month when a train hit a truck at a railroad crossing.
- The other major rail project has also seen a couple of non-deadly derailments.
Demands for Review and Suspension
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the head of a primary political opposition called for an prompt halt in the building and running of all similar projects.
This stoppage was proposed pending a comprehensive technical review. The party stated that the tragedy "calls for swift accountability."
In response, the president maintained that the train had been running in complete accordance with all safety requirements. Assurances were given that the government would remain "diligent" in both the construction and running of these national undertakings.
