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A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 23 November 2023

Mexican officials admit secrecy-shrouded border train project

had no environmental impact study

By DANIEL SHAILER said said Alex Olivera, a
Associated Press senior scientist with the
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Center for Biological Di-
governor of Mexico’s north- versity. “But this is AMLO’s
ern state of Sonora ac- government, so probably
knowledged Tuesday that they will say that it is ‘strate-
a secrecy-shrouded train gic infrastructure’” like the
project was an army under- Maya Train, and therefore
taking that has not yet sub- exempt.
mitted any environmental Opponents have been un-
impact statement, months able to get even the most
after construction had al- basic information on the
ready started. train line, with no federal,
The rail link between the local or state authority will-
port of Guaymas and the ing to take responsibility for
border city of Nogales the $350 million project to
threatens to cut through build 40 miles (63 kilome-
and damage environmen- ters) of train line.
tally-sensitive conservation Even though parts are al-
lands. Construction continues for a new train line in northern Mexico, in San Lorenzo, Sonora state, ready under construction
Sonora Gov. Alfonso Du- Mexico, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. and government contrac-
razo justified the new rail Associated Press tors have begun felling
line project saying it would trees and bulldozing the
solve the problem of a rail ment is trying to convert miles (65 kilometers) south jungle. path for the railroad to-
line that passed through Guaymas, on the Gulf of of the U.S.-Mexico border. In the face of court chal- ward the Aribabi ranch
the center of Nogales by California, into a major The project illustrates the lenges and criticism, López home to a rare combina-
diverting rail traffic outside container port, but the cur- power that Mexico’s presi- Obrador in 2021 passed a tion of black bears and
the city. rent railway connection to dent Andrés Manuel López law stating the projects of jaguars no environmental
But while the state is par- the United States cuts the Obrador has given to the importance to “national impact statement has ever
tially financing the project, city of Nogales in half. army, which has been al- security” would not have to been filed. “Because it is a
Durazo said it is “being car- The new rail line cuts a com- lowed to sidestep normal submit impact statements strategic project, it is the
ried out by the Defense de- pletely new path well south permitting and environ- until up to a year after they responsibility of the Environ-
partment,” adding that the of Nogales that threatens mental standards. This has start construction. ment Department and we
state’s operational role is to cut through the Aribabi been the case of the Maya Under Mexico’s environ- have a year to submit the
limited to helping the Army ranch, a federally designat- Train tourist rail line on the mental laws, sidestepping environmental impact, and
secure the rights-of-way. ed Natural Protected Area, Yucatan peninsula, which impact assessments ought that is well under way,” Du-
The Sonora state govern- and the town of Imuris, 40 cut a swath through the to be “completely illegal,” razo said.q

IAEA head says the barring of several nuclear inspectors by Iran is

a ‘serious blow’ to monitoring

By STEPHANIE LIECHTEN- of the International Atom- several experienced U.N. ing of the IAEA Board of tors from monitoring the
STEIN ic Energy Agency said inspectors from monitoring Governors in Vienna. country’s nuclear program,
Associated Press Wednesday that Iran’s de- the country’s nuclear pro- While refusing to get into and that Tehran has further
VIENNA (AP) — The head cision in September to bar gram constituted “a very specific numbers or names, increased its stockpile of
serious blow” to the agen- Grossi said that the ban near weapons-grade ura-
cy’s ability to do its job “to concerned one-third of the nium.
the best possible level.” core group of the agency’s The IAEA said that accord-
IAEA Director-General Ra- most experienced inspec- ing to its assessment, as
fael Mariano Grossi said tors designated for Iran. of Oct. 28, Iran has an es-
that while the U.N. nucle- “This is completely uncalled timated 128.3 kilograms
ar watchdog continued for, this is completely illogi- (282.9 pounds) of uranium
to perform its monitoring cal,” he said. enriched up to 60% pu-
work, Iran had targeted in- Grossi said that he hoped rity, which represents an
spectors “who have a lot of to “reverse” Iran’s decision increase of 6.7 kilograms
experience, particularly in and that he is having “a since its September report.
enrichment and other ca- conversation” about the Iran has long denied ever
pacities.” issue with Mohammad Esl- seeking nuclear weapons
“It takes a long time to pre- ami, the head of Iran’s civil- and continues to insist that
pare inspectors who have ian nuclear program, its nuclear program is en-
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, the necessary amount of The comments come after tirely for peaceful purpos-
Rafael Grossi, addresses the media during a news conference experience, skills and abil- a confidential IAEA report es, such as for use in medi-
following an IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, ity to perform their work,” last week said that Iran cine, agriculture, industry
Austria, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023. Grossi told reporters on the continues to bar several and science.q
Associated Press first day of a regular meet- of the watchdog’s inspec-