Mexico ammonia plant project faces protests over safety risks

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has announced that a government consultation is underway regarding the construction of an ammonia plant in Topolobampo, Sinaloa. While the project, initiated during the previous administration, is set to continue, Sheinbaum stated that federal teams from Semarnat, Conagua, and the Ministry of the Interior are conducting assemblies to address community concerns and ensure environmental impact studies are valid.

Opposition groups, including Greenpeace and traditional leaders from the Ohuira community, have protested the project, citing extreme safety risks. During a demonstration in Mexico City, activists scaled the flagstaff in the Zócalo to demand protection for the region's maritime and fishing sectors.

Felipe de Jesús Montaño Valenzuela, a traditional governor of Ohuira, warned that a potential ammonia leak could have catastrophic consequences. He estimated that a 15-minute leak could affect a 45-kilometer radius, potentially causing the deaths of up to 450,000 people across the Ahome, Guasave, and El Fuerte municipalities. Critics also claim the government's indigenous consultation process has failed to meet the standards of being free, prior, and informed.