At least 13 died and dozens were injured in Mexico when a train derailed on a line beset by corruption allegations.
Experts say the rail line — which connects the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean — lacked rigorous assessment.
One of Mexico’s most prominent journalists revealed last year that people close to former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador were selected as contractors despite having little previous experience, while an analyst questioned the selection of the rolling stock and the signaling systems, warning shortly before the maiden trip in 2023 that running it would “end in disaster.”
Despite government vows to crack down on graft, Mexico’s score on a respected corruption index reached its worst level in more than a decade last year.
