Support for Circular Economy Project and Criticism of the Opposition from the Mexico Workers' Confederation

The Puebla branch management of the Mexico Workers' Confederation (CTM) firmly defended the "Circular Economy Development Center for Welfare" project planned to be established in the San José Chiapa region. Union officials claimed that the reactions against this project, which aims to be a recycling facility, actually stem from political calculations rather than environmental concerns. At a press conference, CTM General Secretary Leobardo Soto Martínez emphasized that the complex, which faces intense public objections, is a modern recycling facility, not a garbage dump. Martínez drew attention to this area by claiming that the real environmental pollution in the region is caused by the existing regular waste storage site dating back to the former governor's term. The official stated that the new facility, which will use modern and clean technologies in waste management, will benefit the region.

Sending a message of transparency regarding the process, the union leader announced that state officials gave them a detailed briefing about the scope of the project. Stating that the Director of the Puebla Water and Sewage Commission, Rebeca Bañuelos Guadarrama, conveyed the project details to them, Soto Martínez expressed that the facility is designed to process solid waste. The official, who noted that the facility is developed to render construction waste, used tires, and various solid wastes harmless, stated that energy production would also be possible through this. It was emphasized that the project is environmentally friendly, noting that biogas and electrical energy will be produced with modern engineering processes at the recycling facility. The CTM management invited the public and opposition groups not to ignore these scientific and technical facts, defending the project's ecological benefits.

It was claimed that the mass demonstrations organized against the project's construction are no longer a civil reaction. Harshly criticizing three people leading the actions, claiming they come from the Nopalucan, San José Chiapa, and Rafael Lara Grajales regions and have political motives, the CTM leader used severe language. The official openly accused the party, claiming that the demonstrators receive open support from the Citizens' Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) party and that these actions are used for personal political agendas. It was argued that despite the Citizens' Movement projecting an environmentalist image, it exploits public discontent for election-propaganda purposes. Additionally, the striking silence maintained by the Green Ecologist Party, which usually exhibits a sensitive stance on environmental issues, was severely condemned.

The dimensions of the political and environmental crisis spread to a much broader area with the involvement of the Citizens' Movement's former presidential candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez. Álvarez Máynez's elevation of the issue from a local problem to a federal level caused a new legal dimension to open regarding the facility's future. The politician filed an official complaint with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (Profepa), demanding an in-depth investigation into the legal and environmental legitimacy of the recycling facility project in San José Chiapa. The complaint called for the immediate suspension of construction work until necessary inspections are completed to fully clarify environmental impacts and assess potential risks. This federal intervention initiative caused the tension between the local community and the union to turn into a national political debate.

On the other hand, it appears that the tension in the region could be escalated further, with both sides having the potential to increase tensions by organizing their own demonstrations. Opposition groups against the project's construction claimed that the CTM intentionally tried to sabotage their actions by using heavy machinery and buses. However, union leader Leobardo Soto Martínez firmly rejected these accusations, arguing that the opposing side is making false propaganda. The CTM leader also announced that they plan to organize a massive rally with the participation of approximately three thousand people from the region to support the project. Calling on the Citizens' Movement party to withdraw from the debate, the union clearly stated its insistence that the facility will contribute to regional development and employment.