Alabama’s senators, along with two other lawmakers, are once again calling out Mexico’s president for what they say are illegal attempts by Mexico to take property owned by Birmingham’s Vulcan Materials.
Sens. Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, along with Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) released a statement today calling on Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to end a more than two-year campaign centered on Vulcan’s property on the Yucatan peninsula.
According to the senators, López Obrador last week issued a declaration that would designate Vulcan’s land and port in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo as a naturally protected area.
In a joint statement, the senators called the declaration “an expropriation of a lawfully permitted, U.S.-owned operation.”
“We are deeply concerned by the government of Mexico’s latest effort to illegally acquire the property that Vulcan operates,” the statement reads. “This American company has a proven track record of going above and beyond required permits that were routinely renewed by all levels of government to protect sensitive areas, reforest native jungle, preserve archaeological sites, and establish protected wildlife habitats.
“The López Obrador administration is continuing to set a dangerous precedent with these actions, undermining the long-standing bilateral relationship between our two countries and eroding international confidence in Mexico’s adherence to the rule of law. We remain committed to using all appropriate tools at our disposal to deter the Government of Mexico from seizing Vulcan’s lawfully owned and operated property and ensure no entity or individual benefits from its theft,” the senators stated.
In May, the senators sent a similar statement to Alicia Bárcena, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico.
In March 2023, the Mexican government seized the facility, despite a court ordered stay on any government action to confiscate the property. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador threatened to declare the property a natural protected area or seize it by force if Vulcan doesn’t accept a $360 million offer for the gravel pits before he leaves office next year.
Vulcan maintains the Punta Venado deep-water port facility has an estimated value of more than $1 billion.
López Obrador has accused the company of extracting materials without the proper permit.
