President Claudia Sheinbaum has pledged to expand the Mayan Train to Guatemala and Belize, creating a “development hub” that will benefit people in all three nations.
The announcement came during a meeting last week with Presidents Bernardo Arévalo of Guatemala and Johnny Briceño of Belize, when the three leaders signed an “historic” agreement to create a new nature reserve—the Great Mayan Jungle Biocultural Corridor. This ambitious tri-national initiative aims to protect 16 million hectares of rainforest while ensuring its sustainable use.
The publicly funded Mayan Train is designed to promote sustainable economic development and tourism across southeastern Mexico, a region historically affected by high poverty levels and economic neglect compared to other parts of the country. Although lauded by Sheinbaum as “a big success,” passenger numbers — especially international visitors — have not met expectations, and the 1,600-kilometer line has been fiercely criticized by environmentalist groups.
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