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Fishermen and restaurant owners in Ensenada La Ventosa, Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, are demanding that Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) replace its aging marine outfall pipes. The community argues that the facility, which transports refinery waste a kilometer offshore, has turned their beach and fishing grounds into a dumping site.

Recent days saw the beach and fishing areas covered in black, viscous slicks, with the once-clear blue sea turning black from hydrocarbon waste. Municipal agent Margarita Domínguez stated that La Ventosa "cannot continue to be the drainage or septic tank of Pemex," as each emitter discharges all refinery waste into the sea. She reported that approximately three kilometers of beach are currently contaminated.

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La Ventosa cannot continue to be the drainage or septic tank of Pemex, because each emitter discharges all the waste from the refinery into the sea.

Frustration is high among the local fishing community, with reports of 15 to 20 spills on their beach this year alone. Fishermen have had to suspend their work for about a month each time. They insist that if Pemex is unwilling to change the emitters, they should at least remove them entirely. Domínguez questioned Pemex's investment priorities, asking why they can build refineries but not replace emitters that have been in place for over 50 years.

The pollution affects about 150 fishermen and members of the Barra del Río Tehuantepec cooperative. They are suffering from strong odors that irritate their throats. The community is demanding the replacement of the emitters, not just repairs, as they believe the constant wave action renders any patching ineffective.

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It makes no sense for Pemex to patch up the emitters; with the waves, they end up the same way again, and emitter number four has a pending repair that was supposed to be done last November, but we are no longer interested in that repair, we demand that they be changed!