Mexico's CONAGUA says it bears no liability for worker death on Victoria aqueduct project

A 22‑year‑old construction worker, Cristian Alejandro Cárdenas, died on 22 June when a pipe ruptured at kilometre 28 of the Victoria‑La Marina road during work on the second line of an aqueduct in Victoria, Tamaulipas. Jaime Felipe Cano Pérez, head of the Gulf North Basin Office of CONAGUA, stated that neither CONAGUA nor the state water commission (COMAPA) nor the federal project holds responsibility for the fatal incident.

Cano Pérez emphasized that the deceased was employed by a private contractor, not by CONAGUA, and that the contractor is solely responsible for any funeral expenses and for complying with safety protocols. He noted that inspections are conducted with federal support and that, while safety measures are in place, some protective mechanisms may have been lacking. The agency classified the event as a workplace accident and declined any admission of liability.