Veracruz activists demand halt to port expansion works

Civil society organizations, fishing cooperatives, and residents in Veracruz, Mexico, have staged protests to demand the immediate suspension of the second phase of the Veracruz port expansion. Protesters, including members of MarNatura AC and the Red Arrecifal, claim the construction of a breakwater threatens the La Gallega reef within the Veracruz Reef System National Park.

Participants reported that the Mexican Navy (Semar) has begun depositing rock directly onto the reef base. Activists noted that a March 2022 ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) had previously invalidated environmental authorizations granted in 2004 and ordered a suspension of the works. They expressed concern regarding the lack of transparency and the potential for the construction to alter currents and bury the ecosystem.

Submarine explorations conducted by activists documented several protected species at the site, including Montastraea cavernosa coral, the Veracruz white grouper, and the Jarocho goby. While specialized studies on the area's international wetlands were reportedly conducted in June, activists claim the results have not yet been made public.