Merida, Yucatan — Visiting the state for the third time since taking office, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador promised a new power plant “so that there will never be any blackouts” in Yucatan.
In a formal ceremony held at La Inalámbrica, a sports complex west of the Centro, Lopez Obrador noted that no new power plants have been built here in 30 years. He complained that the southeast of the country “was abandoned” by previous leadership.
AMLO did not specify when or where the power plant would be built.
Lopez Obrador also vowed to solve the natural-gas shortage, which affects not only industry but the efficiency of the current power stations.
“I’m making the commitment that we’re going to have enough natural gas in the southeast and throughout the Peninsula,” the president told a cheering crowd.
On the subject, Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal said that in recent weeks they have heard “many things in the press, many things that are not true” and insisted that the federal authorities are committed to promote actions in the matter.
“This is a problem that was not generated a few months ago, it is a problem that comes from many years ago. What I do recognize is that there is a change of attitude of the government with respect to the previous ones, we have a well structured plan to supply the southeast with the electric power and natural gas that we need to lower the electricity rates in Yucatan … ” said Vila Dosal.
Vila Dosal, while sharing the stage with the president, asked AMLO to make one more modification to the Mayan Train route. Adding a branch line leading to Progreso would give the port “a very big competitive advantage,” the governor stated.
The governor added that he has already discussed the idea with the director of the National Fund for Tourism Promotion (Fonatur), Rogelio Jiménez Pons — who was also on stage — to verify the viability of a Progreso branch line.
“Surely in the near future we can make it a reality,” he told the president.
Lopez Obrador did not reply to the proposal, only saying that 25 billion pesos would be invested in Yucatan’s section of the infrastructure project.
As part of the two-city tour of Yucatan — he later stopped in Valladolid — Lopez Obrador signed an agreement with the state government to issue 300 million pesos for housing, and to publicize the scope of the various social programs.
He was accompanied by his wife, Beatriz Gutierrez Mueller.
The president said he was happy to return to Mayan lands again: “We will continue visiting this state that we love so much.”
