On Wednesday, 10 April, the documentary film "El Tren y la Peninsula" about the so-called "Maya Train" in Yucatán and Quintana Roo in Mexico will be shown at the communal cinema followed by a discussion.
According to Mexican President López Obrador, the prestigious project will not only bring a high-speed train to the tourist region, but also "finally bring development". The government has handed over the project to the military, which is also building sections. Deutsche Bahn Engineering & Consulting GmbH was involved in the project in an advisory capacity until December 2023 with a contract worth 8.6 million euros.
However, activists are denouncing the disastrous handling of ecological problems, the displacement of indigenous communities and inhumane working conditions. Many Mayan communities have been organising resistance against this and other megaprojects for years. The documentary takes the audience on a journey along the projected train route across the Peninsula and uses the stories and reflections of its inhabitants to the unravel the environmental and social consequences of the development model imposed on the region.
Following the film, there will be a conversation between Alke Jenss of the ABI and Yaatsil Guevara from the University of Heidelberg who is researching the effects of the infrastructure project. They will be talking about this infrastructure project and its impact on everyday life in the region.
This event is a cooperation between the ABI and the Communal Cinema Freiburg. It will be held in English and Spanish.
Tickets and details about the cinema