Once the populist nightmare is over, we are going to undertake national reconstruction. An emblematic component of this will be the rapid resumption of construction of the New Mexico International Airport in Texcoco (NAIM). It should be noted, from the outset, that the NAIM is a different project, not comparable to that of Santa Lucía. The NAIM will be an international node (Hub) that will rival Miami and Panama. It will be national pride, a factor of competitiveness, employment, service logistics and light industry, a decisive factor for a more successful insertion of Mexico in the global economy. Santa Lucía is a small, mediocre, ordinary, peripheral and marginal airport. It will not solve the saturation problem of the Mexico City International Airport (current), since it is neither functional nor profitable for the airlines; like the airports of Toluca (closer than Santa Lucía), and Querétaro (more accessible) they have not solved it. The flights that have been announced from there are only the product of political extortion and defensive public relations by some airlines against the government.
The decision on the location of the NAIM in Texcoco was the product of more than 20 years of studies by national and international institutions (MITRE, ICAO, UNAM Engineering Institute, SENEAM). Santa Lucía is the result of a simple occurrence of President López advised by his consenting contractor Riobóo. Its compatibility with the AICM is limited, given the interference between the airspaces of the two airports, therefore, its international certification will be an uphill battle – if it is ever achieved. Simultaneous operations on both will be restricted. Technically, the NAIM in Texcoco was absolutely viable. The best engineers from Mexico and the world participated in the design of tracks, foundations, structures, hydrology, soil mechanics, and geophysics. One of the most prestigious architects in the world was in charge of the design: Norman Foster. It was going to be the first airport with Leed Platinum certification, in terms of sustainability. Texcoco soil does not represent any insurmountable problem. In fact, the current airport is located on the same type of soil and in the same hydrological and geophysical context. It did not imply major environmental impacts. The construction of new lakes to the south of Lake Nabor Carrillo was in process to replace and expand the lake surface in the Texcoco basin. This would prevent the growth of the urban sprawl, and create new habitats for migratory and resident birds. Likewise, hydraulic works were developed to capture the rivers of the east and prevent flooding. This was part of a large hydraulic engineering project for the area.
From the urban and environmental point of view, the NAIM in Texcoco is located in a totally impacted area, and within the metropolitan area, very close to the city and the demand centers. Thorough environmental impact and risk studies were carried out, something that did not happen with Santa Lucía. Its connectivity to the city is relatively easy, and involves an additional 10-minute journey from the current airport. There was an Ecological Territory Planning project, and it would not represent a dynamic of urban expansion, but of filling and densification of already urbanized areas. The land of the current airport, once air operations are transferred to the NAIM, will be an extraordinary opportunity to offer equipment, education, public spaces and green areas, to the east of CDMX, the least favored and most marginalized. It is a project of social justice and urban revitalization without precedent in Mexico. Santa Lucía, if it works, will cause a greater expansion of the urban sprawl. Its distance from the city makes it unfeasible. It takes more than two hours to travel from the city center to Santa Lucia. The travel time is similar to that of the Querétaro airport, and much longer than that of Toluca.
115 billion pesos had been invested in the NAIM and it was 35% complete. The cost for the treasury was minimal, since it would be paid fundamentally with private investment, and with Green Bond issues that had been placed on the international market, and that would be paid with the TUA. (Santa Lucía is an embezzlement for the treasury; nobody wanted to invest there). The cancellation of the NAIM was made without studies, without justification, only because of the enlightened will, and the vengeful rancor of President López. It was a flagrant violation of the law. It means a gigantic patrimonial damage to the Nation. Its deliberate vandalization and destruction, and its flooding represent barbaric acts that must be criminally punished. In Santa Lucía, 120 billion have already been spent, to which must be added the cost of the cancellation of the airport in Texcoco. This is more than it would have cost to finish NAIM. All NAIM spending was audited. This government was not able to find a single piece of evidence of corruption. Instead, Santa Lucía has been built in total opacity, with ghost companies, without tenders, all by direct assignment, exposing the Army to potential acts of corruption.
Once this populist-autocratic episode is over, the Santa Lucia airport will be abandoned, or it will be cargo only, like the Mirabel airport in Montreal. Resuming the NAIM in Texcoco will be a priority for the next government of national salvation and reconstruction.
Civil Engineer and Economist
Serious Green
Mexican politician, liberal environmentalist and researcher, he has served as a public official and activist in the private sector. He was the candidate of the Nueva Alianza party for President of Mexico in the 2012 elections.