Maya Train Project Damaging Caves: Shocking Video Reveals Destruction

Environmental activists have raised concerns about ongoing damage to caves due to the construction of the Maya Train's fifth section, which runs from Playa del Carmen to Tulum. A video released by José Urbina Bravo, a cave diver and member of the Save Me from the Train group, reveals the current state of caves situated along the project's route.

In the video, Urbina Bravo points out piles of debris entering the aquifer, the foundation upon which the train is being built. "This is a collapse. We can see these stones that were once part of the roof. Everything in this area is prone to collapse, which is why they need thousands of these piles. They show no concern for the aquifer, the caves, or the trees," Urbina Bravo stated.

Footage shows cave collapses primarily occurring near Puerto Aventuras, close to the planned location of a cable-stayed bridge intended to span over caves and cenotes. However, according to Urbina Bravo, efforts to preserve the ecosystem in this part of Solidaridad have been unsuccessful.

"These piles are designed to support the imposed project, not the ecosystem or the environment. They are an affront to nature that extends through the water," Urbina Bravo noted. He also highlighted the use of metal braces to install the piles, which have already begun to rust in various parts of the Maya Train, particularly in Solidaridad. These braces will eventually dissolve in the water from the Mayan aquifer.

Despite their ongoing struggle to highlight the environmental impact of the Maya Train project, activists claim that protective measures they have proposed have been ignored by the responsible authorities. Urbina Bravo has vowed to continue fighting to protect the remaining natural resources in the region, which he claims are under threat from the federal works of the Maya Train in the vicinity of Playa del Carmen.