Tren Maya construction linked to rise in disappearances in southeast Mexico

A review of the National Registry of Disappeared and Unlocated Persons reveals that 2,740 disappearances were reported in the Mexican southeast between June 2020 and the completion of the Tren Maya project in 2024. The affected states include Quintana Roo, Chiapas, Yucatán, Campeche, and Tabasco.

Quintana Roo saw a significant increase, with reports rising from 59 in 2020 to 302 in 2024, an increase of over 400 percent. In Chiapas, reports grew from 43 in 2020 to 280 in 2023. Tabasco saw an increase from 232 to 265, while Yucatán rose from 13 to 19. Campeche recorded 22 reports in 2024 compared to just two in 2022.

Maria Patron, leader of the Colectivo de Madres Buscadoras in Quintana Roo, stated that a pattern emerged shortly after construction began. She noted that construction sites provided spaces for criminal groups to dominate through drug sales, leading to disappearances. One high-profile case involved workers Miguel Angel Mondragon Cruz and Juan Aparicio, who disappeared in September 2024 and were later found in a clandestine grave.