Trans-Peninsular Maya Train: Between Jungle and Concrete

Abstract

Trans-Peninsular Maya Train: Between Jungle and Concrete

Authors: Antonio Benavides Castillo & Graciela Aurora Mota Botello

This interview conducted by Dr. Graciela Mota with archaeologist Antonio Benavides about the Trans-Peninsular Maya Train, designed to connect southeastern Mexico, debates the dilemma between jungle and concrete. Southeastern Mexico has become the epicenter of a paradigmatic confrontation. Dr. Antonio Benavides tells us that the Maya Train (TM), conceived as a hub for tourist, economic, and social connectivity, is projected across the geography of more than seven states as a promise of modernity. However, its colossal construction has sparked a debate of historic proportions, calling into question the profound territorial, heritage, and environmental changes it entails. This project not only redefines infrastructure, but also forces us to weigh the benefits and imminent risks for local communities and, crucially, for the preservation of the vast Mesoamerican cultural legacy. In this tense scenario, this interview provides essential insights for understanding the real magnitude of the project and its repercussions in multiple dimensions: from the urban and territorial to the social, heritage, and sustainability. To unravel the complexity of this phenomenon, archaeologist Antonio Benavides Castillo is an essential source of dialogue for a detailed analysis of the progress of this mega-project, which is so important for the entire southeastern region of the country. With a career spanning more than five decades of dedication to archaeological research in the Yucatan Peninsula, a solid education at ENAH, and a PhD in Mesoamerican Studies from UNAM, Benavides is a Senior Research Professor “C” at INAH's Campeche Center. He embodies the institutional memory dedicated to the study, rescue, and conservation of heritage. Author of multiple publications and a committed communicator, Benavides is one of the most authoritative voices reflecting on the impacts of the Maya Train on the cultural, historical, and social fabric of the country. His perspective goes beyond the railway layout: he sees the Maya Train not only as an infrastructure project, but as a cultural and social phenomenon in constant evolution. This dialogue, therefore, seeks not only to offer a specialized perspective, but also to reaffirm the sociopolitical relevance of archaeology as an essential tool for the construction of memory, identity, and historical consciousness. The aim is to provide society with the necessary elements to appreciate the complexity of the region and participate in an informed manner in the processes of transformation that today dictate its destiny.

Key words: Heritage Impact; Environmental Impact; Mayan Jungle; Mayan Train; Regional Development; Land Use Planning; Urban Development.