Pemex faces legal action over oil spills in Pánuco River and Gulf of Mexico

Fishing cooperatives in Veracruz and Tamaulipas are pursuing legal action against Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) following significant oil spills that have caused ecological and economic damage in the Pánuco River and the Gulf of Mexico.

In the Pánuco River region, over 150 families reported that an oily sludge from the Francisco I. Madero Refinery contaminated the water, destroying fishing nets, engines, and causing mass mortality among fish, shrimp, and crabs. While refinery authorities attributed the spill to overflowing sediment channels caused by heavy rains, local fishers cited a lack of maintenance and delayed containment efforts.

Separately, a federal court in Veracruz has granted a provisional injunction to protect approximately 2,000 fishermen affected by hydrocarbon spills in the Gulf of Mexico. The legal action, supported by Movimiento Ciudadano, addresses alleged omissions by federal authorities in investigating the spills and mitigating environmental risks to beaches, lagoons, and mangroves. The injunction aims to prevent further damage and ensure the protection of fishing communities while the legal process continues to determine responsibility and reparations.