While the Ministry of Economy (SE) of the federal government and the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT) maintain their differences regarding the productive vocations that they will promote in four polygons of the Oaxacan Isthmus, President Manuel López Obrador announced that wind farms will be installed there.
In the investigations published by the Superior Audit of the Federation (ASF), last January, it was revealed that the CIIT “did not consider seven productive vocations, such as the chemical, electronic, metal, plastic and rubber, furniture, transportation and for medical use, which were identified by the SE as optimal for development in the Development Poles”.
Both the CIIT and the SE presented different methods of analysis in the search for the productive vocations with the greatest impact on the development of the economy of the Isthmus and this showed that in “the cases of the poles of Salina Cruz, Ixtaltepec and San Blas Atempa, both dependencies did not coincide in any productive vocation”.
Through official letter number CIIT/UAFTI/CGTPC/002/2023, dated January 5, 2023, “the CIIT indicated (to the ASF) that in the particular case of the SE, in 2023 working groups will be started to link vocations identified in the poles, with the industrial requirements at the international level, in order to establish a national strategy”.
While the CIIT and Energy define the productive vocations of the Well-being Development Poles (PODEBIEN), from the morning conference on February 8, the President took the initiative and announced that parks will be installed in at least four polygons acquired by his government wind farms with US investments.
Since last February 2, the Mexican government published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) two decrees confirming the expropriation, for reasons of public interest, of 412 hectares in Ciudad Ixtepec and 502 in Santa María Mixtequilla, in favor of of the CIIT.
In this regard, the president of the community members of Ciudad Ixtepec, Obeth Ortega Martínez, recalled that the community agreed to sell part of their land “on the condition that the government install factories in that polygon and create jobs for our children, it was never said that It would be for a wind farm.
However, the decree published in the DOF indicates that “companies and industries dedicated to the production of goods and services will be installed on these lands.” Electricity, according to dictionaries, is a movable asset although not tangible.
“They didn’t tell us a wind farm,” insists the Ixtepec community leader, who warns that they will go to court, despite the fact that the lands have already been expropriated by decree.
Since President López Obrador announced the Plan for the Development of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in December 2018, businessmen and producers, as well as peasants included in the PODEBIEN expressed their congratulations to the arrival of investments, tax incentives, job creation and better income .
“Don’t let us down”
The peasants of Santa María Mixtequilla are also confused by the presidential announcement. “They offered us textile, forestry and agro-industry factories to generate some 500 jobs in a first stage. They told us that the President will come to visit us, and we will ask him to clear up any doubts,” says farmer Tomás Orozco. “Don’t let us down,” he adds.
The CIIT, which is now under the administrative control of the Secretary of the Navy (SEMAR), reported that among the economic sectors interested in participating in the eleven PODEBIEN are those related to the hydrocarbon, construction, and manufacturing industries, as well as agribusiness, electricity, commerce and services.
However, in four of these poles of development, President López Obrador announced the installation of four wind farms, in an agreement with the US government, to add to the production of clean energy; The financing, he detailed, would be in charge of businessmen from the neighboring country.
Officials from the United States government, such as John Kerry, special presidential envoy for climate, and Ambassador Ken Salazar, as well as congressmen and businessmen from that country, are expected to attend.
Source: El Universal
