A group of more than 1,500 fishermen from northern Veracruz blocked the Tampico-Tuxpan highway for several hours to demand financial assistance and address the damage caused by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The damage they are facing directly affects their boats and fishing gear, in addition to the contamination of their fishing grounds, which continues to reduce their income.
Traffic was completely halted at the entrance to Pueblo Viejo, creating long lines that stretched for more than five kilometers in both directions and directly impacting motorists and freight trucks.
According to some estimates, just over 600 motorists and truck drivers were stranded.
The fishermen accuse the Veracruz state government and the federal government of not including them in a support program for fishermen following the spill in the Gulf of Mexico last March. Furthermore, they hold Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) responsible for not issuing immediate alerts after the hydrocarbon spill occurred.
THEY DEMAND 15,000 PESOS AID
The main demand focuses on the delivery of 15,000 pesos in financial aid.
The fishermen warn that it was distributed unequally among the men and women affected by the pollution in fishing communities in Veracruz.
The discontent grew when they pointed out that while some received the funds, other fishermen facing the same conditions were left out of the list of beneficiaries.
“If this is going to happen, it has to be for everyone, I mean for everyone, because that’s really how it should be.”
This financial aid is part of a federal strategy to address contingencies caused by hydrocarbon spills in fishing areas.
The program, which was announced in April, includes the direct delivery of 15,000 pesos to affected fishermen in Veracruz and Tabasco.
In parallel, it was reported that this scheme is complemented by the annual payment from the Bienpesca program, as well as additional state support which, together, can increase the total amount received in some regions.
However, not all fishing communities were included by the authorities.
The impacts are not limited to the lack of support, but also include the persistence of adverse conditions in fishing areas.
José del Angel, a fisherman from Cucharas, shares that the activity continues to be seriously affected.
“Well, fishing is really bad. It’s the season, but right now there’s no catch. And on top of that, the spill took everything from us—boats, nets, and even the fish,” said Andrés González, a fisherman from La Ribera, in Tampico Alto.
The fisherman shared that for several months now, the income of thousands of fishermen has been diminished.
The protesters maintain that, despite reported cleanup efforts, there is still evidence of contamination affecting catches in lagoons and coastal areas.
The conflict was referred to federal authorities, as it is a problem directly linked to the impacts of the oil industry. The regional political delegate, Javier González Mujica, held a dialogue with the fishermen to offer them a forum in Tuxpan, Veracruz. Agencies such as Bienpesca, Sader, and Pemex would participate in addressing the fishermen’s demands.
The official stated that the state administration has no objections, considering the responsibility to be federal, although he assured that… He followed up on the proposal.
“My job is to try to resolve this whole situation. I already explained the government’s decision to them.”
“It’s not the first time we’ve had a problem like this, and it’s also not the first time we’ve solved it,” he said.
The proposal to move the protesters to the service center in Veracruz was made, but it was not accepted.
Source: expreso.press
