“Whatever the critics of Andrés Manuel López Obrador government say, the project of the Maya Train will become a reality, there is the necessary financial support and the project will be carried out according to plan,” said Rogelio Jiménez Pons, general director of the National Fund for Tourism Promotion (Fonatur).
“International wealth management firms such as BlackRock and Merrill Lynch have expressed interest in the Maya Train, and this fact reinforces the project significantly”, said Jiménez Pons.
“In a recent presentation in New York City, at a summit organized by the Mexican Association of Private Capital, the aforementioned financial advisors showed interest in the Maya Train”, reiterated Fonatur’s general director.
“After having met with these companies, it is a fact that whatever the opponents and critics of the AMLO´s administration might say, the Maya Train will become a reality, since now we are certain that there is the necessary financial support,” Jimenez Pons continued.
“So far there are no injunctions to stop the project, but if there were, “we are preparing ourselves legally,” declared the official.
Jiménez Pons added: “there is no better strategy than to be in compliance with the law. As unforeseen situations may arise, we have to be calm, and that is why “we are shielding ourselves”.
“Merrill Lynch, Blackrock and Bank of America are interested in participating in real estate investment trusts that will be created to finance the project and that are listed in the international stock markets”, the head of Fonatur concluded.
Jiménez Pons also met with executives of Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse.
In contrast, the Patron Confederation of the Mexican Republic (Confederación Patronal de la República Mexicana: Coparmex) noted that “specialists warn that the Maya Train project could cause severe social and environmental damage”.
On Monday June 1st, in his speech at Mexico City’s Zócalo, president Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that at the end of this month the bidding for the Maya Train consruction works will be launched.
The Yucatan Times Newsroom
