Parents Demand School Relocation Near Dos Bocas Refinery Amid Safety Concerns

Parents in Paraíso, Tabasco, are growing increasingly frustrated as their children's safety remains compromised by proximity to the Olmeca Refinery in Dos Bocas. For 42 days, two schools—the "Agustín Melgar" kindergarten and "Abías Domínguez Alejandro" primary school—have been awaiting relocation following presidential orders. Despite repeated incidents at the refinery, including fires, a toxic gas cloud, and a gas leak, neither Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) nor the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) have provided a concrete plan or timeline.

The parents' concerns are not unfounded. The refinery's operational hazards pose a direct threat to the students, teachers, and the wider school community. Their persistent efforts to seek a resolution, including public demonstrations and formal requests, have been met with evasiveness. "More than a month after President Claudia Sheinbaum publicly issued instructions for the relocation of schools bordering the Dos Bocas refinery, mothers and fathers continue to receive no response," stated the concerned parents.

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A más de un mes de que la presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum girara instrucciones públicamente para la reubicación de las escuelas que colindan con la refinería de Dos Bocas, madres y padres de familia seguimos sin recibir respuesta. Exigimos a Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) y a la Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP) atención inmediata, dada la evidente situación de riesgo que enfrentan las niñas y niños, el personal docente y la comunidad escolar.

To highlight the urgency and the authorities' inaction, parents have established a "days without relocation" counter. This initiative serves as a public reminder of the time elapsed since the presidential order and aims to pressure Pemex and SEP into fulfilling their commitment. The situation underscores a critical failure in ensuring the safety of educational institutions in proximity to industrial hazards, demanding immediate attention and decisive action from the federal government.

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“A month and a half ago we proposed schedules and locations to start working groups, to which we have been met with evasiveness. 15 days ago, Pemex told us that the week of April 20 they would share the relocation plan for the schools. No one approached or communicated with us.”