Mexico and Guatemala Presidents meet for the first time face to face to speak important regional projects

Guatemala City (AP)-of increasing cartel violence, border safety and a mega project to expand a controversial train line across their borders, expressed the presidents of Mexico and Guatemala on Friday common goals and concerns in their first meeting face to face. The two local allies, who met in the northern Peten region in Guatemala, agreed to strengthen the coordination of migration, law enforcement and economic development. But above the agenda for both was a proposal to expand the Mexican government’s Maya train from southern Mexico to Guatemala and Belize. The idea was first flowed by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, but was met by Guatemala’s Bernardo Arévalo skepticism. The Guatemalan leader said he saw the economic potential of the project to the jungle region, but remained determined that the construction should not have the kind of environmental damage it caused in Mexico. The train, currently running in a rough loop around the southern peninsula of Mexico, was the Mega project of López Obrador, with the aim of connecting remote jungle and rural areas in southern Mexico. However, it fueled controversy and legal battles for years, as it was cut by large parts of the jungle and damaged a delicate cave system in Mexico that serves as the most important source of water in the area. After the meeting with Sheinbaum, Arévalo said that the expansion of the train is “a vision we share”, but that the project should not exceed the protected ecosystems in Guatemala, especially the dense jungles of Peten. He said there should also be careful environmental studies, and the two presidents looked at an alternative proposal that the train loop would have instead of cutting directly through the jungle of Guatemala and Belize. “I have made it very clear at all times that the Maya train will not go through any protected area,” Arévalo said. His position is a sharp contrast to that of López Obrador, who quickly found the train project without environmental studies. Sheinbaum and Arévalo also talked about the growing cartel violence along the Mexico Guatemala border where the cartels have long fought over the control of profitable migrant routes. Earlier this week, a group of about 100 Mexicans fled the border due to an eruption of violence in their communities. Later Friday, Sheinbaum and Arévalo would travel to Calakmul, in southern Mexico, and meet with Belize Prime Minister Johnny Briceño to continue the talks. “Today, Mexico and Guatemala demonstrate the will of two sister nations, with governments committed to justice and their peoples, to move forward to a more dignified, fair and free future,” Sheinbaum added.