When I was a little girl, what I most enjoyed was searching for fish between the rocks, submerging myself in the ocean to watch the multicolored creatures swimming by, and feeling the strange spines of the sea urchins in the palm of my hand. These and other marvelous seaside memories are why I treasure the place I was born: Veracruz, Mexico.

The next generations may not be so lucky. The Mexican government recently decided to expand the Port of Veracruz, putting at risk two of the State’s most important natural treasures: the Veracruz Reef System National Park and the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve.

The Veracruz Reef System is the largest coral ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico. As well as hosting an incredible variety of underwater life, the reefs also serve as a natural barrier against large waves and storms. In 2010, the reef protected the city of Veracruz from Hurricane Karl, a dangerous category 4 storm. Despite the many benefits of the reef system, the government has decided to reduce the size of the Natural Protected Area to make room for the expansion of the port. The expansion will only add to the damage the reef has suffered over the years because of the port.

Los Tuxtlas is one of the last remaining rainforests in Mexico. It too is a natural barrier against hurricanes and tropical storms. It’s a refuge for millions of species of plants and animals and home to a variety of communities. This unique ecosystem is also at risk because the government has authorized a project to mine basaltic rock within its borders in order to build the expanded port’s breakwater. They did so despite the fact that the Program Management of the Reserve prohibits the use of explosives, which, if used, would forever alter the topography, vegetation and ecosystem services of the area, as well as make the region more vulnerable than it already is to climate phenomena. What’s more, the noise and presence of workers in the area would affect the behavior of wildlife, particularly the critically endangered howler monkey.

Both the expansion of the Port of Veracruz and the extraction of rock from Los Tuxtlas violate the Convention on Biological Diversity, signed by Mexico, which is obligated to safeguard wildlife and the natural heritage of its territory. The port expansion also infringes on the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty ratified by the Mexican government, which obligates it to protect the country’s wetlands. The project also runs counter to the Marine Ecological Regional Management Program of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. 

Destiny has taken me far from Veracruz, but I have never stopped thinking of the wellbeing of my country and its people. I have always valued the natural world around me, even more so since I’ve worked as accountant for the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense (AIDA) and have had the opportunity to learn about the risks nature is facing at the hands of man.

I disagree with the expansion of the Port of Veracruz because of the negative impacts it will cause, and so should you. We are all Veracruz: those who decided to stay, those who decided to go, the flora, and the fauna. Every living being deserves respect and a place to live in peace.

SIGN to ask Rafael Pacchiano Alaman, head of the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) to revoke permission to extract basaltic rock from the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, and to ensure the protection of the Veracruz Reef System. 

Veracruz is beautiful and we want it to stay that way: We need your help so nature will continue caring for us!

Sincerely,

Ivette Sánchez Mejía

PLEASE SIGN NOW!

For more information, visit: www.aida-americas.org  y http://www.cemda.org.mx/

Join The Discussion Online: #ConservaVeracruz