TULUM, Mexico – As the sun sets on the current administration, two monumental projects with the distinctive mark of the Obrador government stand poised for inauguration in the southeastern region of Mexico. The eagerly anticipated Tren Maya, with its inauguration firmly scheduled for Friday, December 15, shares the spotlight with the equally ambitious Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport in Tulum, Quintana Roo.
Spanning an expansive 1,500 hectares and boasting a 3,700-meter runway, the new airport is deemed “indispensable” by the Federal Government to alleviate the strain on the saturated Cancun International Airport. The Defense Ministry (Sedena) had foreseen its operation as far back as February, asserting a capacity for an annual influx of 5.5 million passengers.
In a recent announcement, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador disclosed that the inauguration of the Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport is set for December 1, a date laden with significance for the head of state, as it marks the fifth anniversary of his presidential inauguration ceremony at the Congress of the Union in Mexico City.
During his Tuesday morning press briefing on November 21, President López Obrador unveiled his plans to take flight on December 1 from the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) to the Tulum air terminal after the customary morning briefing at the National Palace.
This event aligns with other notable inaugurations shaping the month of December. On December 15, the first phase of the Tren Maya is slated for inauguration, encompassing the stretches from Campeche to Cancun. Subsequently, on December 31, the section linking Cancun to Palenque will be unveiled.
Additionally, on December 22, President López Obrador will spearhead the inauguration of the railway connecting Salina Cruz to Coatzacoalcos in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, stating, “On December 31, from Cancun to Palenque, if you wish to stay and welcome the new year there, you’re welcome. If not, we’ll find a way to get you to Mexico City the same day; you’re invited.”
Among the ongoing projects, the President expressed optimism about the commencement of operations for Mexicana de Aviación in December. Originally slated for inauguration on December 1, the date has been pushed back, primarily due to the intricate process of acquiring a sufficient number of aircraft, a complexity acknowledged by the President.
During his morning briefing, López Obrador shared the revised tentative date for the Mexicana de Aviación inauguration, now scheduled for December 26. He asserted that his administration has resolved all aspects of the airline, which will be operated by the Defense Ministry, including obtaining the necessary aviation authorities’ approvals.
