Indigenous Communities Tell Sheinbaum Fracking Threatens Huasteca Potosina’s Social Fabric & Natural Resources

ByPatricia Calvillo

This article by Patricia Calvillo originally appeared in the March 13, 2026 edition of El Sol de San Luis.

Indigenous communities of the Tének and Nahuatl ethnicities in the Huasteca region of San Luis Potosí have raised their voices to express their rejection of any oil and gas exploration and extraction project that involves the use of hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, in the region. In a statement addressed to the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, representatives of these communities warned of the environmental, social, and cultural risks that they assert would result from implementing such projects in their territory.

The document was issued in recent days from the municipality of Tancanhuitz de Santos, in the Huasteca Potosina region, and is addressed to both the federal government and national and international public opinion. In it, the communities express their concern over what they consider a change in the government’s commitment to prohibiting hydraulic fracturing, a technique used to extract hydrocarbons from complex geological formations.

The signatories of the statement point out that fracking consists of injecting fluids at high pressure to fracture the rock and release gas or oil trapped underground, although the possibility of using water recycling systems has been raised, they warn that the technique involves inherent risks such as the release of methane, the possible generation of induced seismicity and the production of toxic waste derived from the process.

According to the communities, the official discourse has presented the extraction of national gas as a strategy for energy sovereignty; however, they maintain that the development of unconventional deposits in Mexico depends largely on technology, machinery, and specialized services from foreign companies, mainly from the United States, which in their view would maintain a form of technological dependence.

Communities also argue that proceeding with such projects without their consent would violate the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized in the Mexican Constitution and international treaties. They cite Articles 1 and 2 of the Constitution, as well as Convention 169 of the International Labour Organization , which establishes the right of Indigenous peoples to be consulted in a prior, free, and informed manner about projects that may affect their territories.

One of the central points of the statement is the impact the technique would have on water, a fundamental resource for life and the economy of the region. The Huasteca region is known for its abundance of rivers, springs, and other bodies of water, but community representatives warn that the extraction processes require large volumes of fresh water to begin operations.

According to the document, the first stage of fracking would require millions of liters of water that would have to be extracted from local rivers or aquifers; in addition, they mention that recycling the water used in the process is not completely efficient and generates residual sludge that may contain hazardous chemicals.

The communities point out that the project would directly affect 3,268 localities where mostly Indigenous Tének and Nahuatl peoples live.

They question the feasibility of installing oil projects in areas far from populated areas, as has been suggested in some technical presentations. In the Tampico-Misantla Basin region, there is a high density of rural and Indigenous communities, meaning that virtually any project would be located near agricultural areas or water sources.

The potential impact of this phenomenon is not limited to the environmental sphere. Communities point out that the project would directly affect 3,268 localities inhabited primarily by indigenous Tének and Nahuatl peoples, populations that have historically faced poverty and marginalization.

They believe that the introduction of extractive projects could profoundly alter the social and economic fabric of the region, affecting traditional activities such as small-scale agriculture and access to natural resources on which numerous families depend.

Communities say economic development cannot be built on the dispossession of Indigenous territories or on environmental degradation.

Another point of concern is the risk to existing bodies of water in the area. According to the communities , there are at least 1,019 rivers, springs, aquifers, and other water bodies in the region that could be directly or indirectly affected by mining activity.

Furthermore, soil disturbance and potential contamination could trigger a process of environmental degradation that would affect local biodiversity. The Huasteca region is considered to be of great biological richness, with flora and fauna species that form part of the country’s natural heritage.

The communities also argue that proceeding with such projects without their consent would violate the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized in the Mexican Constitution and international treaties. They cite Articles 1 and 2 of the Constitution, as well as Convention 169 of the International Labour Organization , which establishes the right of Indigenous peoples to be consulted in a prior, free, and informed manner about projects that may affect their territories.

Given this situation, they have decided not to give their consent to the strategic plan that contemplates the exploitation of hydrocarbons in the area, nor to any initiative that may affect their territory, their culture, or their natural environment.

The statement also affirms that the Huasteca region should not be considered a sacrifice zone for energy projects and maintains that it is a living ecosystem and a territory with a millennia-old cultural history that requires protection, not exploitation.

Finally, they formally requested a direct meeting with President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo to establish a respectful and direct dialogue about the future of the region. They stated that economic development cannot be built on the dispossession of Indigenous territories or on environmental degradation.