El Taller: Busting Myths of the Tren Maya with Étienne von Bertrab

Part two of our interview with Etienne von Bertrab, lecturer at University College London, about his new graphic-book Más allá: una historia del Tren Maya. Von Bertrab explains how the book emerged from frustration with academic publishing and a desire to bring rigorous, balanced research to a wider public. The conversation explores the origins and construction of the Tren Maya, the social and environmental controversies surrounding it, and what the project reveals about the broader goals of Mexico’s Fourth Transformation. From historical extraction in the southeast to today’s debates over development, welfare, and sovereignty, the interview offers a nuanced, informed look at one of the country’s most ambitious—and misunderstood—projects.