Thousands march on November 11 against AMLO's plans to cancel Mexico City’s New Int. Airport

According to reports, between 5,000 and 7,000 people marched peacefully through the streets of Mexico City on November 11 to protest against incoming President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s (AMLO) plans to cancel the construction of Mexico City’s New International Airport (NAICM) in Texcoco. A majority of participants taking part in an informal public consultation between October 25-28 reportedly voted to cancel NAICM and instead expand existing airport infrastructure in the Santa Lucía Military Base (NLU). The march, which started at the Angel de la Independencia and finished at the Zócalo, was reportedly organized by at least a dozen civil society organizations to show discontent with AMLO’s plans to resort to public consultations to decide on key policies, as was done with NAICM. The protesters announced that they would organize another march in Mexico City on December 2, a day after AMLO’s presidential inauguration. Separately, AMLO announced on November 5 that NAICM contractors would not sue the incoming government if NAICM is cancelled, and would instead be willing to remodel the Santa Lucía base.

Opposition to the anticipated cancellation of the NAICM is likely to intensify as AMLO’s inauguration day approaches. Although the incoming administration is confident that they could reach agreements with NAICM contractors and thus avoid being sued due to breaches of contract, this will most likely depend upon AMLO’s ability to present the remodeling of the Santa Lucía base as an attractive alternative to such contractors. Given the different magnitude of the two projects, it is unlikely that all of NAICM contractors;would be satisfied with a trade off with new contracts for remodeling Santa Lucía.