Diplomatic Tension Over U.S. Company’s Land Dispute in Mexico

U.S. lawmakers have called on President Donald Trump to advocate for multinational company Calica. The company lost control of its land south of Playa del Carmen during the presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. For many years, Calica had been extracting stone materials from the area for sale in the U.S.

The lawmakers have expressed concern over the Tren Maya project, a railway that runs alongside Calica's property. They suspect that the project could be financed by the Chinese Communist Party. As a result, they have urged President Trump to safeguard U.S. economic and security interests in Mexico.

Previously, lawmakers and senators from Alabama had written to the Mexican Ambassador to the U.S., Esteban Moctezuma. They described the deployment of marines and state police at the maritime terminal of Calizas del Carmen (Calica), a subsidiary of Alabama-based Vulcan Materials, as "illegal".

The intervention by Mexican armed forces occurred during a dispute between Calica and the Mexican government over the extraction of stone materials in Playa del Carmen. President López Obrador had threatened to revoke the company's concession due to environmental concerns and offered to buy the affected lands.

In September 2024, López Obrador issued a decree that declared the disputed lands as a protected natural area. This move prevented Calica from continuing its extraction activities. In response, Vulcan Materials announced it would take legal action.

This situation has led to diplomatic tensions between Mexico and the U.S. U.S. lawmakers have expressed concern about the treatment of a U.S. company and have requested President Trump's intervention to protect the interests of Vulcan Materials in Mexico.