Indigenous communities in Mexico announce takeover of ammonia plant

Indigenous communities in Mexico have declared an indefinite occupation of an ammonia plant construction site in the Ohuira bay, Sinaloa. The Mayo-Yoreme people are protesting what they call the "ecocide and ethnocide" that the world's largest ammonia plant would cause. The project, financed by Swiss and German entities, is nearly complete.

"We will take the facility on Monday until we get results," warned Felipe Montaño Valenzuela, the indigenous governor of Ohuira and spokesperson for the movement. He stated that while the Mexican government, through its environmental agencies, proposes dialogue, the communities will only accept this if construction by Gas y Petroquímica de Occidente (GPO), a subsidiary of the Swiss-German group Proman, is simultaneously halted. GPO plans to produce 2,200 metric tons of ammonia daily.

Montaño emphasized the severe risks, including the death of the bay and displacement of indigenous peoples. The plant's operation would require immense amounts of saltwater for cooling, leading to warmer discharge temperatures that would devastate the local ecosystem and fishing, the communities' primary food source. An internal company report also warned of potential toxic gas leaks affecting a wide radius, a risk the communities believe is inadequately addressed by local emergency services.

The Ohuira bay is also home to the Santa María-Topolobampo-Ohuira wetland, a Ramsar site crucial for migratory birds, dolphins, turtles, and commercially important fish. The indigenous resistance has spanned 12 years, with support from scientists and international organizations like the UN, highlighting the project's significant environmental and social impact.

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¡Aquí no!