AMLO vows to restore Mexico's passenger rail network

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) promised on Wednesday to rebuild Mexico’s passenger rail network that he said was decimated during previous administrations.  

During his morning press conference in Mexico City, AMLO said the goal will be achieved by reaching agreements with the companies that operate the network.  

“There are 20,000km of [mostly freight] railways that were awarded and there are two major companies that prevail… I believe an agreement could be reached with the companies to have passenger trains,” he said. “We have to seek those agreements because the companies won 40 to 50-year concessions. That is what [ex-president Ernesto] Zedillo [1994-2000] did and that is why he was later employed by one of those companies… such were the decisions made during the neoliberal period.”

AMLO said the passenger railway system has been part of the country’s history since 1873, when it was inaugurated by President Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada (1872-76). López Obrador also said his administration will rehabilitate and build around 2,600km of railways, with projects like the Maya train and the interoceanic corridor. 

He added there are three projects that will not be carried out by his administration, and that will be left for future generations to develop: the Mexico City-Querétaro-Guanajuato line, another one in San Luis Potosí, and one that would run from Guadalajara to the border with California.