A major train derailment in southern Mexico has left at least 13 people dead and nearly a hundred injured, casting a harsh spotlight on the nation's flagship infrastructure programme. The incident occurred on the Interoceanic Train in the state of Oaxaca on Sunday, 28 December 2025.
Rescue Operation Amid the Wreckage
Mexican army soldiers and civil protection members worked to rescue passengers from the overturned carriages of the Interoceanic Train near Nizanda, Oaxaca. The train was travelling on the route to Coatzacoalcos when it left the tracks. President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that of the 250 people on board, 98 were injured, with five of those in a critical condition.
Sheinbaum stated she would travel to Oaxaca to speak with those affected and pledged to "rigorously clarify what caused this accident." The scene, captured in photographs, showed a compartment completely overturned amidst the debris.
A Flagship Project Under Scrutiny
The derailment is likely to reignite fierce political debate over the speed and oversight of major public works initiated by the previous administration. The Interoceanic Train was a cornerstone project of Sheinbaum's predecessor and ally, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (Amlo).
Its purpose is to link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans across the narrow Isthmus of Tehuantepec, creating a strategic rail cargo alternative to the Panama Canal. Alongside the controversial £16bn Mayan Train project, it formed part of Amlo's drive to develop Mexico's poorer south-eastern regions.
Both projects were constructed under the supervision of the Mexican military at an accelerated pace, leading to concerns about safety standards. Sunday's crash was the third incident on the Interoceanic line this year alone, following a collision at a crossing earlier in December. The Mayan Train has also experienced two non-fatal derailments.
Calls for Audit and Official Response
The tragedy has prompted immediate calls for action from opposition figures. Alejandro Moreno, leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), demanded a pause in the construction and operation of such projects pending a full audit. "This tragedy … demands immediate answers," the party stated on social media platform X.
In response, President Sheinbaum defended the project's safety protocols, insisting the train had operated with all required measures. "We will be very responsible in the construction and operation [of these projects], as we have always been," she asserted.
The derailment near Nizanda represents a severe test for Sheinbaum's government, balancing the pursuit of national development against paramount concerns for public safety and rigorous infrastructure oversight.
