TOPOLOBAMPO, Sinaloa — Tensions escalated in northern Mexico as around 100 activists and residents blocked the entrance to a controversial ammonia plant construction site, preventing thousands of workers from entering. The protest, led by the collective ¡Aquí No! (Not Here!), targets a mega-project being built by the company Gas y Petroquímica de Occidente (GPO) in the Ohuira Bay.
The blockade began at 5:00 a.m. and barred access to all employees, contractors, and vehicles. According to Enrique Ayala, a representative of the collective, protestors have given the federal government and GPO until next Sunday to begin dismantling what they call “monsters of death,” warning they are determined to take the movement to its ultimate consequences.
The action follows a massive weekend march that drew over 6,000 participants from across Mexico to reject the facility. Protesters cite catastrophic ecological and security concerns. Chemist Lindra Valdez warned that cooling the plant’s massive reactors with seawater would increase local water temperatures and devastate the bay’s marine ecosystem. More critically, experts fear that a chemical leak from the projected 2.2 million kilograms of ammonia could travel up to 45 kilometers, endangering three generations of nearby populations.
In response, GPO released a statement condemning the blockade, arguing that it directly violates the right to work for approximately 3,000 operators who rely on the project to sustain their families. The company reiterated its commitment to dialogue and respect for the law, urging demonstrators to express their concerns through established legal and institutional channels.
As the standoff enters its second week, demonstrators remain entrenched in 24-hour camps outside the Topolobampo Port Authority, demanding a total shift toward alternative, sustainable fertilizers.
Source: La Jornada
