Sheinbaum: We Are Not Going to Build Anything the People Don’t Agree With

This article by Jayme Garcia appeared in the July 12, 2025 edition of El Imparcial.

Ensenada, Baja California. Protesters gathered outside the new IMSS hospital to express their opposition to the El Sauzal Port expansion project, where President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to them during her speech.

“We are not going to build anything that the population doesn’t agree with. There will always be dialogue with the population. If they don’t agree with the port, then it won’t be built. The important thing is that there is a lot of dialogue with the people and they can be certain that we are not going to overrule anyone. The citizens will be consulted. Don’t worry about that. We are not going to do anything that is against the people, rest assured,” she said.

It’s worth remembering that during her morning press conference on December 5, 2024, the president announced an investment of 5.745 billion pesos in the ports of Ensenada and El Sauzal, projects that will be carried out from 2025 to 2028.

Marco Antonio Martínez Blancarte, Director General of Port Development and Administration of the Navy, reported that the breakwaters in El Sauzal will be expanded and fishermen will be relocated to provide greater security in their activities. This will also allow for the bidding process for container terminals in the Port of El Sauzal and attract greater investment in the Port System’s revenue.

However, citizens, surfers, and environmental groups have spoken out against the project, arguing that it will affect the beaches, the ecosystem, and traffic in the area.

“They already attempted to impose this project in 2008 and in 2010; it was cancelled due to the environmental, social, economic and cultural impacts, not only for El Sauzal, but for all of Ensenada. All cities that have ports that receive large quantities of containers have suffered the same consequences: environmental devastation, traffic, insecurity, pollution, container invasions and countless tragedies,” said one of the protesters.