Could Belize’s Strategic Partnership with Tren Maya Help Overcome Its Early Struggles?

Tren Maya Faces Early Struggles

Mexico’s Tren Maya project is facing significant criticism for its performance and impact. The railway’s current operation includes 34 stops across Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Campeche, and Chiapas, yet many popular routes are still under construction. However, according to Travel Noire, the high-profile tourism project is struggling to meet expectations just months after its December 25, 2023, launch. 

 

 

With a projected cost that could exceed $30 billion, the train is only halfway complete, and its current offerings are not enticing travelers. Authorities initially forecasted daily ridership between 22,000 and 37,000, but according to Travel Noire, the train now sees just around 1,200 passengers per day. The incomplete sections, particularly the link between Cancun and resort areas, are contributing to the train’s low usage rates. 

 

Environmental Impact of the Tren Maya 

 

Adding to the controversy are environmental concerns. Critics argue that the environmental costs and disruption to indigenous Mayan habitats outweigh the benefits of the tourism project.

The railway “is splitting the jungle in half,” said Ismael Lara, a guide who takes tourists to a cave that shelters millions of bats near the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. Lara fears the train, due to pass close by, will disrupt wildlife routes and attract too much development to fragile ecosystems, according to Reuters. 

“Not only has the train been built over cenotes, which could collapse at any time, it’s also displaced many Maya communities,” Paulina Rios, a Mexico City marine biologist, told the BBC. 

An environmental impact study was conducted by the Mexican government. The study evaluated the risk of cave collapse when the tracks get engineered. A prevention programme would be implemented if necessary. “In terms of safety, part of the delays in the project is precisely because of these points … The project has been changed several times,” said another expert who participated in the government’s environmental impact study.

 

Tren Maya Coming to Belize

 

Tren Maya is expected to facilitate the easier movement of goods and tourists between Belize and Mexico. Mexico’s outgoing president Andrés Manuel López Obrador held a significant meeting with Prime Minister John Briceño on March 25, 2024, around the topic of expanding the Tren Maya to Belize. The discussions included a strategic push for a train station near Belize’s border to facilitate smoother transit of tourists and goods between the two nations.

 

 

In an official statement released on March 27, 2024, it said, “Discussions centered around the possibility of establishing one of the stations at Belize’s Northern Border with Mexico, thereby providing passenger and freight service for Belize to all of southern Mexico. This will also provide access to the Interoceanic Railway in Mexico, a key route that links important port cities on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts.” 

According to PM Briceño, the proposed expansion of Mexico’s Tren Maya railway into Belize is set to significantly reshape regional connectivity and economic dynamics. “The next step for them to do a study as to how we could get it to probably to Belize City or somewhere in the country.” Currently, the Tren Maya project, which spans 966.27 miles across Mexico’s southeastern states, has faced scrutiny due to lower-than-expected ridership and environmental concerns. However, the extension into Belize could offer a range of transformative benefits for both countries.

From an economic perspective, the extension could stimulate significant growth. Belizean products would gain better access to Mexican markets, potentially increasing trade volumes and boosting local industries. 

The expanded network might also help address some of Tren Maya’s existing challenges. Additionally, the expansion might help mitigate some environmental concerns by promoting more sustainable cross-border travel options.