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Maya Train -- after the massive leaks at the Department of Defence.

 Those who follow Mexican politics (it's actually entertaining) will have heard that the Mexican MoD had a massive data breach two weeks ago, where tens of thousands of documents, in particular emails, were stolen by a Mexican hacker group.

So far, the revelation has been minimal and related to the close relationship between Narcos and the President's cabinet.  The one surprising aspect is that it seems that for a long time the President had been talking the Narcos, but it doesn't appear to have done much for the violence in the country, which is the highest it has ever been.  Most of Mexico is very dangerous, and bulletproof cars have started to re-emerge.  In the end, AMLO doesn't really care since it has no impact on his party's standing.

Yesterday, it was all the news about the Maya Train, one of the four cornerstones of the President's rebuilding of Mexico (the 4T).   The highlights of the leaks:

  • Costs are even more out of control than they were communicated last July, it seems now that costs have doubled again, with a substantial portion of the work still to be done.
  • Massive shortage, on many segments, of fill (the rocks that go around the dormers)
  • Work on the train station is far behind schedule (one station directly mentioned by the President as being a success is only 0.2% completed)
  • Months ago, Alstrom informed the Mexican government that the rolling stock was far behind schedule, mainly it seems because they could not finalize the design.  they were unable to get any answers to their questions from Fonatur...
  • There are major issues on the Cancun to Tulum segment and that about 20% of the tracks that had been laid had to be removed because the route was being changed...again!
  • No one is sure who is the contractor on the Cancun to Tulum segment (it could be the army...)
  • Many of the zones where stations are to be built have not been expropriated yet, some (such as Porto Morelo are critical) os no building has started
  • Also, that any ecological concerns are "fifi" (fake problems) and that an area near Cancun airport that had been reserved for a Trade Center will now be storage and repair shops for the Maya train
10 days ago, the president said that the data breach was a non-issue!  That there was nothing there.

Not so much in reality.  

Ah the good times!


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