Bermúdez Requena family linked to mining permits in Tabasco

An investigation by Mexicanos Contra la Corrupción y la Impunidad (MCCI) has revealed that the administration of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador granted mining permits to companies linked to the Bermúdez Requena family. The permits, issued by the National Water Commission (Conagua), allowed the company Aspasur to extract gravel and ballast from the Samalia and Tacotalpa rivers in Tabasco.

The extracted materials were used for major infrastructure projects, including the Maya Train and the Interoceanic Train. MCCI reports that these authorizations were granted while Raúl Bermúdez Arreola, son of Humberto Bermúdez Requena, was overseeing sections 4 and 5 of the Maya Train project between 2019 and 2021.

The investigation highlights several connections between Aspasur and the Bermúdez Requena family, including shared business addresses and co-owned land. One specific permit allowed for the extraction of up to 41,580 cubic meters of gravel annually from a site known as ‘El Plomo’. Additionally, the extraction occurred in areas that environmental authorities have previously flagged for overexploitation.