Palmer Leads AL Delegation in Letter Demanding Answers from Mexican Government

March 22, 2023

For Immediate Release

Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, March 14, the Vulcan Materials port in Quintana Roo, Mexico, was seized by the Mexican military. In response, Representative Gary Palmer (AL-06) led the Alabama Congressional delegation in sending a letter to the Ambassador of Mexico demanding answers. After the letter was sent, Rep. Palmer released the following statement:

“This action by the Mexican military is unprovoked and unacceptable,” said Rep. Palmer. “The Mexican government needs to immediately recall their troops from Vulcan Materials’ port and ensure it will not happen again. The Alabama delegation and I have requested a meeting with the Mexican Ambassador, preferably at the earliest possible time. I look forward to receiving a prompt response from Ambassador Esteban Moctezuma.”

Joining Rep. Palmer on the letter in alphabetical order are Rep. Aderholt (AL-04), Sen. Katie Boyd Britt (AL), Rep. Jerry Carl (AL-01), Rep. Barry Moore (AL-02), Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03), Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07), Rep. Dale Strong (AL-05), and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (AL).

The full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Ambassador Moctezuma,

We write you concerned about the unlawful entry and occupation of Vulcan Materials Company’s Punta Venado port facility by Mexican military personnel for the benefit of the Mexican materials company CEMEX.

As you are aware, on Tuesday, March 14, at 5:44 am local time, heavily armed governmental forces, along with CEMEX personnel, arrived at the Vulcan facility and forced entry into the port. They informed the unarmed Vulcan security guards that they had an order, which has yet to be produced, to bring a CEMEX vessel into the port to unload cement.

On Thursday, March 16, a Mexican Federal Court issued an order requiring the military, law enforcement, and other government entities on Vulcan’s property to vacate the premises within 24 hours. The CEMEX ship that was forced into Vulcan’s port finished unloading on Friday, March 17, and left the port that evening. Despite these events, as of the date of this letter, Mexican military and law enforcement forces remain on the property and show no sign of leaving.

While these events on their own are concerning enough, it seems that this is just the latest in a pattern of the Mexican government ignoring the rule of law. In 2018, Vulcan initiated a NAFTA arbitration against Mexico in response to harassment, illegal land-use changes and the illegal shutdown of operations on a portion of the property. Thereafter, Vulcan’s production and port operations were fully shut down using military force on the orders of President Lopez Obrador in early May of 2022.

With Vulcan’s headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama, we write to request the military presence from Vulcan’s property be immediately withdrawn and that you schedule a meeting with our delegation to discuss these troubling events.