International Railroad Discussion > Mexico's "Maya Train" is a human rights, environmental disaster

Yesterday the United Nations Office of Human Rights issued a statement:
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/12/mexico-government-and-business-must-address-negative-impacts-train-maya

For an in-depth article from the New York Times earlier this year:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/28/world/americas/maya-train-mexico-amlo.html

I love trains. But not new ones at the expense of our last remaining wild areas and the mostly Indigenous People who depend on them.

No news here.  Just the usual cast of characters feeding on Latin American nations.   Here in Chile we've mostly had Spanish and Chinese interests proposing all sorts of "wonderful projects" in recent years.  All were rejected once the government looked into them.  But they keep trying. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/22 09:46 by masterphots.

I always marvel how altruistic the PRC is in initiating huge public works projects intended to "benefit" certain underdeveloped countries that have resources that are useful to China, but then China ultimately winds up being the new owner when the re-payment schedule set forth in the "fine print" is not met.  Meanwhile, the locals who promoted and participated in the establishment of these schemes walk off with a nice retirement package courtesy of the PRC.  That is not to say that other "developed" countries are themselves not engaging in self-benefiting altruism, but my impression is that the PRC takes it to a whole new level of interference with the "beneficiary's" autonomy.  Good for Chile in recognizing some of the risks involved in so-called philanthropy.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

E25 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I always marvel how altruistic the PRC is in
> initiating huge public works projects intended to
> "benefit" certain underdeveloped countries that
> have resources that are useful to China, but then
> China ultimately winds up being the new owner when
> the re-payment schedule set forth in the "fine
> print" is not met.  Meanwhile, the locals who
> promoted and participated in the establishment of
> these schemes walk off with a nice retirement
> package courtesy of the PRC.  That is not to say
> that other "developed" countries are themselves
> not engaging in self-benefiting altruism, but my
> impression is that the PRC takes it to a whole new
> level of interference with the "beneficiary's"
> autonomy.  Good for Chile in recognizing some of
> the risks involved in so-called philanthropy.

Following a default on bonds issued to finance a Chinese built port in Sri Lanka, Chinese interests now own that port.

Similar investments in Pakistan, Djibouti, and Tanzania are underway.  Likely with a similar outcome.