U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) joined a group of their fellow Senate colleagues this week in demanding that Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador halt his coordinated attempts to take over land owned and operated by Alabama-based Vulcan Materials.
The condemnation from the legislators is the result of a decision made last week by the Mexican presidential administration to classify Vulcan’s land and port as a naturally protected area. The change, according to the Senators, would eliminate Vulcan’s rights to the land and ability to operate the port.
“Make no mistake, President López Obrador’s recent effort to label Vulcan Materials Company’s land and port in Quintana Roo, Mexico, as a ‘naturally protected area’ is an expropriation of a lawfully permitted, U.S.-owned operation,” said the Senators. “We are deeply concerned by the Government of Mexico’s latest effort to illegally acquire the property that Vulcan operates.”
The elected officials emphasized the lengths that Vulcan routinely goes to to ensure that they are compliant with all governmental regulations.
“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.”
A well-established economic relationship between Mexico and the U.S. is at major risk the group said.
“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.”